Langzhong Oil Tea

Langzhong Oil Tea

　　　In Langzhong Ancient Town, no matter the season—spring, summer, autumn or winter—commuters and students all love to stop by small eateries in the old town for a steaming bowl of fragrant and delicious oil tea with sanzi. Oil tea is as convenient and affordable as fast food, so locals have aptly nicknamed it the “McDonald’s of Langzhong.”

　　   As oil tea has become a famous local specialty snack in Langzhong, it has also given rise to many well-known oil tea shops, such as Zhuji Oil Tea, Chengji Oil Tea, and Zhangji Oil Tea. One of the most famous is located on Xiaxin Street in Langzhong City. The owner of this shop is already the third-generation descendant in the family business of making oil tea. Even today, the furnishings and utensils in the shop still date back to the 1930s—a small wooden table is covered with condiments and sanzi, while a tripod cauldron on one side bubbles away over a wood fire.

　　　　The owner of this shop is a 65-year-old man named Zhu Xinning. Dressed in a white chef’s uniform, he deftly scoops out the oil tea. Spoonfuls of orange-yellow oil tea are ladled into bowls, followed by toppings such as preserved mustard greens, chopped scallions, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and chili oil. A handful of sanzi is snapped into small pieces and placed on top, and thus a fragrant bowl of “oil tea with sanzi” is served.

　　　　It is understood that both “oil tea” and “sanzi” were originally convenient foods for Hui people traveling or doing business. In the past, the biggest concern for Hui travelers was finding something to eat. During long journeys, meals were extremely inconvenient. To solve this problem, the Hui community developed the habit of eating oil tea and sanzi.

　　　　To make sanzi, first mix the dough with salted water. Once the dough is ready, spread a thin layer of vegetable oil on top, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it ferment naturally—about ten minutes in summer and around an hour in winter. After fermentation, the dough is shaped into thick, lotus-root-like strips, left to ferment for another ten minutes, then divided into thinner strips about the size of a pinky finger. Dry rice flour is dusted on the surface, and with the right hand holding the strip and the left pinching one end, the dough is twirled in a spinning motion to form even finer loops. These loops are then slipped onto two long bamboo skewers resembling chopsticks, stretched thin and straight, and dropped into hot oil to fry. Before the loops harden, the skewers are flipped to twist them into a comb-like shape. Once golden brown, they are removed from the oil and set aside. Sanzi is crispy and crunchy, often making a crackling sound in the mouth.

　　　　In Langzhong, during festivals, Hui and Han women alike show off their skills by making a variety of sanzi in different shapes to enhance the festive atmosphere. Nowadays, oil tea with sanzi has become a common snack in many canteens and breakfast shops.