What Is Sa Cha Sauce?

Sa cha sauce is a spicy sauce that is used in many dishes in Taiwanese and East Chinese cuisine. We explain to you what it’s all about.

Origin

Sa cha sauce comes from Southeast Asia and is used in 3 specific regions:

• Taiwan
• Fujian
• Guangdong

Sa cha sauces are derived from satay sauce, a peanut sauce from Indonesia and Malaysia. Since peanuts are no longer a basic ingredient in Sa Cha sauce, the taste differs significantly from satay sauce. Regional differences in taste are very pronounced in both sauces.

Tip: The term “sa cha” or “sacha” is Chinese for “satay,” which is a derivative of the original satay sauce.

Ingredients

Sa cha sauce is created from very specific basic ingredients that are commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. The following basic ingredients are particularly important:

• dried lizardfish (Saurida tumbil) or Chinese brill (Tephrinectes Sinensis)
• dried shrimp
• Asian chili powder
• soybean oil
• shallots
• garlic

In addition to these, there are other elements that can be added to the Sa Cha, depending on taste:

• dried scallops or scallops
• peanut oil
• coconut
• Ginger
• pepper
• sesame

Through these, certain types of Sa Cha can be prepared. For example, sa cha sauces from Fujian have a stronger fish flavor, while in Taiwan more sweet elements like coconut oil are added.

Tip: For the chili powder, mainly Asian chili varieties such as Bird’s eye chili or Gochu are used, which enhance the characteristic taste.

Use

The mix of flavors means it can be used in many different ways. The sauce for barbecues is particularly popular. It is suitable for marinating the meat before it is put on the barbecue grill. This gives it an exotic note of seafood, fish, and a fiery chili note. But it’s not too spicy. It is precisely for this reason that it is popular as a barbecue sauce and is therefore often referred to as Asian barbecue sauce. In addition to grilling, it is an essential ingredient for fire pot dishes (hot pot) and is used as a seasoning sauce for dipping. Other ways to use it are:

• The base for soup dishes
• Stir-fry (very hot stir-fried wok dishes)
• comes with some instant pasta