Shacha Mian

Shacha Mian is the soul of Xiamen's street food culture — a rich, peanut-forward broth seasoned with sha cha sauce (a Fujianese adaptation of Southeast Asian satay sauce), topped with whatever seafood and offal the market offers that morning. The dish reflects Fujian's centuries-long maritime trade with Southeast Asia, with sha cha sauce itself a localisation of Malay satay spice. In Xiamen's lanes, shacha mian stalls open before dawn and sell out by mid-morning.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) fresh or dried egg noodles (or rice noodles for a gluten-light version)
• 3 tbsp (45g) sha cha sauce (Bullhead brand or similar)
• 200g (7 oz) raw prawns, peeled and deveined
• 150g (5 oz) pork blood curd or firm tofu, sliced
• 4 pork meatballs (store-bought or homemade)
• 100g (3.5 oz) bean sprouts
• 2 tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (smooth)
• 1 litre (4 cups) pork bone stock
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1 tsp white pepper
• Fried shallots, to garnish
• Chilli sauce, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry garlic 30 seconds. Add sha cha sauce and peanut butter, stir-frying for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and dark.
2. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Season with soy sauce and white pepper. Keep at a gentle simmer.
3. Add the prawns, pork meatballs, and blood curd or tofu to the broth. Simmer 5-6 minutes until prawns are pink and cooked through.
4. Cook the noodles separately in boiling water per packet instructions, usually 2-4 minutes. Drain and divide among four bowls.
5. Blanch bean sprouts in the noodle cooking water for 30 seconds. Drain.
6. Ladle the hot broth and toppings over the noodles. Top with bean sprouts, spring onions, and fried shallots. Serve with chilli sauce.

Cook's Notes: Sha cha sauce is the essential ingredient — it combines dried shrimp, brill fish, shallots, chilli, and spices. Pork blood curd (coagulated blood, sold in blocks) is traditional and gives a clean iron flavour; firm tofu is a straightforward substitute.