Eight-Treasure Spicy Sauce
A glossy stir-fry of diced meat, tofu and vegetables bound in a sweet, savoury and mildly spicy sauce.
How to eat it
Spoon a small amount over plain rice or noodles instead of eating a large mouthful by itself, because the sauce is concentrated.
The story behind the dish
Finely diced ingredients are stir-fried until a glossy sauce binds them into a mixture that can accompany rice or noodles. The number eight signals abundance rather than one fixed list, so restaurant recipes vary. Despite the word “spicy,” the Shanghai version usually balances chilli with sweetness and fermented bean sauce rather than delivering intense heat.
For reference
Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.
If you have an allergy or something you can't eat, check with the staff before you order.