Dengzhou Small Stone-Ground Sesame Oil

Dengzhou Small Stone-Ground Sesame Oil

　　Dengzhou City in Henan Province is the birthplace of the small stone-ground sesame oil production technique, which boasts a history of over 120 years. According to the Dengzhou Annals, as early as during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, more than 300,000 kilograms of Dengzhou small stone-ground sesame oil were exported annually via the "Dengbang Trading Firm" in Hankou to Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asian regions.

　　The fame of Dengzhou small stone-ground sesame oil lies firstly in its unique raw material—sesame. The region has a warm temperate climate, and its soil and water contain a variety of minerals, resulting in plump sesame seeds with an average thousand-seed weight of over 3 grams and an oil extraction rate as high as 75%. Moreover, the oil is rich in essential unsaturated fatty acids for the human body. Secondly, its production technique remains traditional: first, the sesame is roasted until half-charred, then ground into a paste using a specialized small stone mill, followed by mixing with water in proportion, stirring, and finally settling and filtering to produce authentic small stone-ground sesame oil. Thirdly, it combines purity, fragrance, and richness in flavor, once earning the praise of “fragrant for three miles without wind, and for ten miles with wind.” Its color is crystal clear, and its taste is sweet, mellow, and refreshing. When used for frying food or making cold dishes, it can eliminate fishy odors and bring out an extraordinary aroma. When used in traditional medicine, it has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, cooling blood, and relieving pain.

　　Since the reform and opening-up, Dengzhou City has vigorously revived traditional production techniques while incorporating modern technology and machinery, continuously improving the quality of small stone-ground sesame oil. A number of premium brands such as “Giant Salamander” and “Ten-Mile Fragrance” have emerged, quickly becoming treasured daily delicacies for urban and rural residents and essential gifts for visiting relatives and friends. These oils not only meet domestic market demand but also see 1 million kilograms exported annually to over 20 countries and regions including Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Dengzhou small stone-ground sesame oil enjoys a high reputation in China. The novella “Sesame Oil Workshop by the Fragrant Soul Pond,” written by author Zhou Daxin and set against the backdrop of a Dengzhou sesame oil workshop, was adapted into the film “The Women from the Lake of Scented Souls,” which won the top prize—the “Golden Bear”—at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival, further enhancing the international renown of Dengzhou small stone-ground sesame oil.