Sha Cha Beef Pineapple Bun 沙茶牛肉波羅包 (Cantonese: sa cha gnau yoke boa loa bau) is a Hong Kong breakfast or snack food. Additionally, a runny or scrambled egg with it would just put it over the top! But, either way, it’s super delicious!
Most people have only heard of adding a thick piece of butter in a pineapple bun, or 波羅油 (boa loa yau). However, that may not be what your doctor wants you to eat! There are actually several things you can stuff into a pineapple bun that’s soooo good! Of course we can't forget Spam and egg 餐蛋波羅包 (chan dan boa loa bau), which is one of my favourites. I also like adding barbeque pork, making it a 叉燒波羅包 (cha siu boa loa bau). However you like your pineapple bun, plain or stuffed, in my opinion, it makes my list as one of the greatest food inventions since sliced bread!
The pineapple bun was born in Hong Kong during British rule. The Chinese didn’t like the taste of the English dinner rolls. They found them bland and dry in texture. Some very creative Chinese bakers decided to use tangzhong (cooked flour paste) to improve the texture. This still wasn’t good enough. They then added a thin layer of Chinese almond cookie to the top of the bun. This cookie layer looked like a pineapple and hence the name 波羅包 (boa loa bau).
My Sha Cha Beef Pineapple Bun 沙茶牛肉波羅包 recipe will show you how to make tender and moist shreds of beef drenched in an extremely flavourful sauce. WARNING: Sha Cha beef paired with the sweet pineapple bun will result in a flavour explosion in your mouth! In addition, you can make it spicier by adding some Thai chilies too.
Next time you buy pineapple buns, consider making some Sha Cha Beef to go with it. Your friends and family will definitely love them!
Check out more of my classic Hong Kong recipes! Some fan faves include:
- Baked Portuguese Coconut Chicken 焗葡國雞
- Cantonese Wonton Noodles 廣東雲吞麵
- Baked Pork Cutlet on Rice 港式焗豬扒飯
- Beef and Black Bean on Rice Noodles 豉椒牛河
- Beef Brisket with Chu Hou Sauce 柱侯牛腩
- Hong Kong Curry Chicken 港式咖喱雞
- Singapore Fried Rice Vermicelli 星洲炒米粉
- Hong Kong Spaghetti Bolognese 焗肉醬意粉
Sha Cha Beef Pineapple Bun 沙茶牛肉波羅包
Ingredients
- 2 Pineapple buns
- 200 g Beef , shredded
- ½ Onion , medium, cut into 1” pieces
- ½ stalk Green onion
- 1 tsp Curry powder
- ½ tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Light soy sauce
- ½ tsp Corn starch
- 1 tbsp Garlic (approx. 3 cloves), chopped
- 1 tbsp Sha Cha sauce aka Chinese barbeque sauce
- 1 tsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Water
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Oil (for frying)
- ½ tsp Corn starch for slurry
- 1 tbsp Water or broth for slurry
Instructions
- Slice beef into shreds
- Marinate the beef with ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp corn starch, 1 tsp curry powder and 1 tbsp water
- Mix well with your hands. Squeeze the beef slightly while mixing so that the beef absorbs the marinade and water
- Add 1 tsp oil and mix again
the oil will lock-in the marinade - Slice ½ a medium-sized onion into shreds
- Prepare 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- Prepare slurry by combining ½ tsp corn starch and 1 tbsp water. Cut green onions. Set aside
- Slice pineapple buns
- In a wok or frying pan, add 1 tbsp oil on medium-high heat, add beef. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until 50% done
- Remove beef and add onions. Cook onions for 1 minute
- Add 1 tbsp Sha Cha sauce, 1 tbsp garlic and 1 tsp oyster sauce to the onions
- Stir-fry and mix well
- Add beef back into the wok or pan. Stir fry and mix well
- Taste test. Add soy sauce and/or sugar to adjust.
Some Sha Cha sauce are saltier and sweeter than others. Stir the slurry and pour it in slowly. Stir until thickened Add more water if you would like it saucier - Add green onions. Turn off heat
- Pile onto pineapple buns and serve
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