Camellia oleifera is a unique dietary habit of ethnic minorities, which is popular in Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi. The practices of Camellia oleifera in different places are different, but it is basically made of fried glutinous rice flowers, fried peanuts or soaked soybeans, corn, fried rice and new tea.

In Guangxi, camellia oleifera is a favorite way of drinking tea for Dong and Yao compatriots in northern Guangxi, and it is also a must-have for them to entertain guests. Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County is a place rich in camellia oleifera. As soon as you enter Yaoxiang, the Yao compatriots there often regard "playing camellia oleifera" as a courtesy to respect guests. The Yao girls will hold a small bowl for you. More interestingly, they also let you drink it with only one chopstick, indicating that you are wholeheartedly respectful. This way of eating is unique and popular.

Camellia oleifera must have tools and raw materials. First of all, let's get to know three special tools for "camellia oleifera": a "tea pot" with a handle made of pig iron the size of a ladle; A wooden "tea hammer" shaped like a "7"; A "tea screen" made of rattan and bamboo.

then look at the main raw materials for making camellia oleifera: first, tea; The second is ginger and garlic oil (camellia oil, which is special in some places); Third, the ingredients, mainly rice flowers (also known as shaded rice), corn, oil fruit, crisp soybeans, fried peanuts, chopped green onion and so on.

the tools and materials are ready, so the next step is the highlight-camellia oleifera.

Stir-fry rice flowers and peanuts with oil before camellia oleifera, and the most important thing is how to make tea. When making, it should be carried out according to the following process: 1. First, soak a proper amount of tea leaves in boiling water for 5-1 minutes and then pour off the water; 2. Put the special small tea pot on the stove and put the oil in it. When the tea pot is hot, pour the prepared tea leaves, ginger, peanuts and garlic rice into the tea pot, stir-fry repeatedly and hammer until the tea leaves touch the pot, and add boiling water when the aroma overflows; 3. When releasing the water, put it slowly, stir it in the pot with a "tea hammer" while putting it, add salt after boiling for two or three minutes, filter the tea into the bowl with a tea strainer, and sprinkle with chopped green onion and coriander powder. In this way, the tea is ready.

It is said that Camellia oleifera is beaten in a small pot. After the first pot is beaten, the second pot is beaten, and so on, five or six pots can be beaten. However, the taste will not be as strong as before, and there will be a saying that "one pot is bitter, two pots are astringent, and three pots and four pots are good tea".

after the tea is cooked, according to everyone's taste, add rice flowers, crispy fruits and crispy peanuts to the tea and you can eat it beautifully. If you are not used to eating the original flavor, you can add some sugar yourself. After adding sugar, the tea will become sweet camellia oleifera. In fact, although the original flavor will feel a little bitter at first after being imported, it will be sweet and delicious after careful tasting, which is memorable.

After many processes, Camellia oleifera is no longer a simple tea soup, but a tea dish. According to the records in the Supplement to Materia Medica, Camellia oleifera has the functions of moistening intestines, clearing stomach, detoxifying and sterilizing, in addition, it also has a certain effect on dispelling cold and dampness, refreshing and satiating. Therefore, Camellia oleifera is also a good prescription for Dong township compatriots to dispel evil spirits, dispel dampness, invigorate their spirits and prevent colds.

in the local area, there is a saying that "Gongcheng is a local custom, and the whole body is comfortable with oil tea soaked in porridge. In fact, it's not just Gongcheng. As long as there is camellia oleifera, people there eat camellia oleifera at least every day, regardless of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Some families can't even live without camellia oleifera for three meals. Drinking camellia oleifera has become an indispensable part of their diet, and they only feel comfortable after drinking one or two bowls every day. In Gongcheng, to entertain guests, get together with friends and even take a midnight snack, Camellia oleifera is also an indispensable food on the table.

Camellia oleifera in Gongcheng has a long history and beautiful legends. It is said that when Emperor Qianlong went down to the south of the Yangtze River, hundreds of officials paid great attention along the way, and delicacies and delicacies were offered endlessly. When he ate tea and rice, he was bored with food, and all the chefs were at a loss and panicked. At this moment, a Gongcheng-registered chef suddenly remembered the efficacy of camellia oleifera in his hometown, and quickly made tools and presented a bowl of Gongcheng camellia oleifera to the command. After drinking it, Ganlong immediately became salivating, and his appetite was wide open. In joy, he was given a royal gift.

As for why Emperor Qianlong had a big appetite, it was because Gongcheng Camellia oleifera had the effects of promoting digestion, invigorating the stomach, expelling dampness and avoiding dysentery. It was a health drink invented by Yao people who lived in mountainous areas for generations according to the humid and miasma geographical environment in mountainous areas, in which tea leaves were rich in theophylline, which played a role in body conditioning. Ginger drives away cold and dampness; Garlic disinfection; Peanut contains three microelements necessary for human body, which can replenish energy.

With the development of the times, there are more and more camellia oleifera nowadays, instead of the traditional rice flower, peanut, soybean, fried rice crust, sweet potato, taro, corn, etc., there are all kinds of "Baba", such as Baba of grapefruit leaves and Baba of oil piles. Inviting guests to drink snacks with camellia oleifera on a table looks like inviting them to dinner.

nowadays, there are many new designs in the camellia oleifera shop, such as "three fresh camellia oleifera chafing dish", "camellia oleifera fish" and "camellia oleifera chicken". The fresh meat in the camellia oleifera chafing dish tastes more delicious when mixed with the fragrance of tea, while the cooked camellia oleifera fish or camellia oleifera chicken has both the flavor of camellia oleifera and the sweetness of fresh meat soup, which makes the ethnic snack "camellia oleifera" more popular.