Savoring Xiamen's shacha noodles

Adam: Li Mei, I was intrigued by the pictures you posted yesterday on Weibo.

亚当:李梅，我看了你昨天发的微博图片了。

Li Mei: Well, can you guess what I photographed?

李梅:你猜到那是什么了吗？

Adam: You know I'm new to Xiamen. I just know that the food pictures you posted looked yummy and they roused my curiosity.

亚当:你也知道我来这不久。那些食物图片看上去很好吃，已经激起我的好奇心了。

Li Mei: They're a well-known local specialty called shacha noodles. They probably came to Xiamen many years ago from Indonesia or somewhere else in southeast Asia.

李梅:那是厦门本土特色食品——沙茶面，据说很早以前由东南亚印尼等地传入厦门。

Adam: Ah okay, that sounds similar to noodles with satay sauce, a peanut-based sauce popular in the region. That explains the golden color in your photos.

亚当: 哦，听起来沙茶面就是沙爹面吧，是用沙爹酱汁混合花生酱做的面，怪不得图片上的食物色泽金黄。

Li Mei: Yes, shacha noodles are well-known for their strong aroma and thick soup. Legend holds that the special flavor can boost your appetite. They're an indispensable part of the local cuisine and can be found at any corner shop in Xiamen.

李梅:没错。沙茶面鲜美醇厚、风味独特，能让你胃口大开。作为厦门人饮食文化不可或缺的一部分，沙茶面摊点遍布大街小巷。

Adam: Hmm, Li Mei, are you busy after work today?

亚当:李梅，今天下班后你忙吗？

Li Mei: Seems like you're eager to try shacha noodles. Let's go together after work.

李梅:是不是迫不及待想去试试了？下班后一起去吧！

Adam: That would be perfect. If you show the way, the noodles are my treat.

亚当:太好了！我请客你带路！

By Natalie Ng