Old Town Oil Tea

Old Town Oil Tea

　　A local saying in Suixi’s Old Town goes: “The oil tea of the old town is wonderfully fragrant — you’ll crave it if you go a day without.” At street-side food stalls, a large thermos-like pot wrapped in cotton cloth for insulation holds freshly made oil tea. The ingredients of Old Town oil tea include fried bean curd sheets, peanuts, pork bone marrow oil, wheat gluten, black and white sesame seeds, fennel seeds (both large and small), cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns. In a pot, fennel seeds (both large and small), cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns are simmered over low heat until boiling, then strained through a fine sieve. Next, the fried bean curd sheets, peanuts, and other ingredients are slowly added to the boiling water in the pot while stirring. The mixture is then brought to a near-smoking boil over high heat before adding pork bone marrow oil and wheat gluten, which are stirred in evenly. Black and white sesame seeds are added and mixed well. Finally, the mixture is brought to a boil again, wheat flour is added to thicken it into a smooth paste without lumps. Soy sauce, salt, pepper, and MSG are added, and the mixture is gently stirred over low heat until it turns yellowish, thickens, and shows slight crack marks on the surface.