Although a Diyarbakir dish, sac tava is a well-known and adored meal throughout Turkey. It is prepared in a thin sheet metal pan, as implied by its name (sac). The thin sheet’s contribution to the food is to make sure that it cooks at a high temperature quickly and without drying out, while still remaining soft because it transfers heat quickly.
What Is Sac Tava?
Red meat and veggies are often used to create meals in a sac tava. The deep pans called sac to give rise to this dish’s other name, “sac roast.” The sheet pan, a staple of packed tables, can be made with veal or lamb, as preferred. It is inedible if rice pilaf is included.
Of course, a sac tava cannot be found in every home or nation. We come up with solutions that have suitable alternatives. You can use a wide pan with a thin bottom. Lamb meat is used to make the best sac tava recipe. Lamb is quickly cooked and becomes tender. You can also use veal if you can get tenderloin or another high-quality cut. Yet, the only thing you can obtain from a random veal is a sac tava that you can chew like rubber. This is not what we advise because it will actually result in wasting the meat.
Ingredients
Like with many foods produced with few components, the dish’s flavor is strongly influenced by the quality of its ingredients. Because of this, you need to pick your meat wisely and make sure the tomatoes and peppers, which give the dish taste, are tasty and fresh.
Ingredients: 1 kilogram of lamb meat, 3 tomatoes, 4 green peppers, and 1 onion, all diced finely, a quarter cup of vegetable oil, cumin, pepper, and salt.
What Are The Tips Of The Sac Tava Recipe?
Let’s start by placing the meat in a bowl. Let’s mix yogurt and olive oil over it, then place it in the fridge for two to three hours so it can soak up the flavors. Let’s place our pan on the stove now that our meat has been seasoned. Your pan will heat up quickly because the stove will be completely open.
Of course, there is a sac tava recipe for it so you can experience it at home as well as eat it at a restaurant. One of the traditional specialties of Turkish cuisine is “Saç Tava” or Tawa. You may find this stir-fried beef and vegetable meal in the majority of Turkish restaurants. You can find the best version of Mama Fatma. If you want to experience a real sheet pan, you should definitely stop by Mama Fatma. In some areas, it is recognized as a pre-wedding food. Cubed beef is stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and various spices in special tawa pans. It is typically served with rice pilav.
The sac tava recipe can be made using either beef or lamb cubes. Meat ought to be of medium size. The tomatoes should be peeled and chopped. Green and red peppers are optional additions. A non-stick pan can be used in place of a sac tava.
The combination of air and water in the pan might cause it to oxidize and rust if it is not used for a while. At this point, it is important to cook the most delicious meals with the appropriate tools. You should also pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene. Sac tava cleaning is another important trick.
How To Make Sac Tava?
Cut the beef into pieces that are 2–3 cm thick. Add meat to a hot pan. Stirring occasionally, cook on medium-high until it changes color and releases its water. Cook until tender on a low heat setting. You can add more hot water if the liquid evaporates. Heat a large wok pan or classic sac tava while adding 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
Cooked beef cubes are added; after 3–4 minutes, the diced onion is added. Onions should simmer for another 3 minutes or so over medium heat. Stir in the green pepper slices. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes after adding grated tomatoes or bottled tomato purée. Add salt, oregano, and pul biber (red pepper flakes) to season it. When everything is tender, add roughly 1/3 cup of hot water or beef stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm with bulgur pilav or rice. Wait 15 to 20 minutes after closing the lid. Cook, then stir in the spices (cumin, salt, and pepper).
Sac Tava Variations
With a glass of water added, place the meat in the frying pan and cook it, stirring occasionally, over low heat until the water is completely absorbed. After the meat has absorbed its water, add one tablespoon of oil and cook the onions and garlic until they are just beginning to turn pink.
Lamb is the greatest protein to cook on a sheet pan. Lamb cooks rapidly and gets tender. You can also prepare it from beef if you can locate a high-quality cut, such as tenderloin. You can make it with both lamb and beef. There are differences between the most used method and the best method. You can use the most suitable for you or your favorite according to the nutritional values of the meat.
How To Serve It?
You can use it to make “Shepherds Salad” or “Cacik,” a yogurt and cucumber dip. This time, we planned on serving it with a seasonal salad made only of lettuce and grated carrots. Mama Fatma will serve you in the presentation you want. It is enough to order the foods you like from the menu according to your taste.
What To Eat Next To A Sac Tava?
It is seen that it is served alone in some regions and with rice in others. You can choose whichever suits your taste. Both rice pilaf and bulgur pilaf are the preferred dishes alongside this recipe. Again, you can try whichever suits you. Pilaf recipes are also very easy to make at home and consist of ingredients that you can access. A nice menu creates a complete image with the main dishes.
