Spicy Oil Tea of the Miao and Dong Ethnic Groups

Spicy Oil Tea of the Miao and Dong Ethnic Groups

　　   Oil tea is a traditional food of the Miao and Dong peoples and also makes for a great beverage before meals. It helps relieve summer heat, dispel dampness and cold, quench thirst and hunger, drive away miasma and evil influences, and stimulate saliva production while invigorating the stomach. Whenever guests arrive, a strong brew of oil tea is prepared, served with deep-fried glutinous rice balls, soybeans, peanuts, and corn, along with garnishes such as chopped scallions and chili peppers. The Dong people have a particular fondness for oil tea and often enjoy it as a breakfast dish.

　　   Source: Jingzhou Local Chronicles Office