Oil-tea

Oil-tea

　　    The Yao people living in Shaoguan and other ethnic groups from various regions have lived together for generations in great harmony. Despite differences in customs, they all share a love for oil-tea. Therefore, during festive celebrations or when distinguished relatives and friends visit, they love to serve their guests this specially prepared tea with carefully selected ingredients.

　　　　        Making oil-tea is locally referred to as “打油茶” (da you cha). The process of making oil-tea generally involves four steps.

　　        First is selecting the tea: there are usually two types of tea to choose from—one is specially roasted tea powder, and the other is tender new tea shoots freshly picked from the tea tree. The choice can be based on individual taste.

　　　　       Next is selecting the ingredients: common ingredients used in making oil-tea include peanuts, corn pops, soybeans, sesame seeds, sticky rice cakes, and dried bamboo shoots, which should be prepared in advance and set aside.

　　　　       The third step is cooking the tea: start by lighting the fire and heating the bottom of the pot. Add an appropriate amount of cooking oil, and once the oil begins to emit smoke, immediately put in a suitable amount of tea leaves and stir-fry them. When the tea emits a fragrant aroma, add a little sesame and salt, stir a few more times, then add water, cover, and bring it to a boil for 3–5 minutes. The oil-tea, along with its broth and ingredients, can then be ladled into bowls and served. For most families drinking it at home, this aromatic, refreshing, and delicious oil-tea is considered ready.

　　　　       However, if the oil-tea is being prepared for a celebration or banquet, a fourth step—pairing the tea—is required. Pairing the tea means stir-frying the pre-prepared ingredients ahead of time, then setting them aside in tea bowls. The tea broth, after being boiled and strained of tea leaves, is then poured while hot into the bowls containing the ingredients, ready for guests to enjoy.

　　　　       Finally comes serving the tea. Usually, when the hostess is almost done preparing the oil-tea, she will invite guests to gather around the table. Since oil-tea is served with many ingredients in the bowl, chopsticks are also needed. So, calling it “drinking” oil-tea is actually less accurate than saying “eating” oil-tea. When eating oil-tea, guests often express their appreciation for the host’s warm hospitality and praise the delicious taste of the tea, as well as the host’s excellent skills, by sipping, slurping, chewing, and making “tsk tsk” sounds of admiration non-stop.