Written by: Wang Yike
Posted on: February 22, 2018 | 
| 中文
Sanpaotai Tea (Source: KKNews)
The ways in which Xinjiang attracts people are far more than what can be imagined. One may be attracted by its splendid culture or its gorgeous natural beauty, but there lies another charm in its unique delicacies. In summers, one may feel intoxicated only by the very thought of drinks like: Sanpaotai Tea, Kvass, Saryam Yogurt, Marlosh, Plum syrup, Pomegranate juice, Hippophae juice, Chinese wolfberry juice, Jujube juice and dried apricot drinks. In fact, there are far too many to mention! One cup of a simple but fresh drink can reflect the diverse cultures and rich ethnic customs of the people of Xinjiang.
In the small restaurants run by Hui people on South Heping Road, Urumqi, dinners of lamb are enjoyed with a big cup of tea. The baked or boiled lamb is fresh and tender, and the tea, Sanpaotai Tea, tastes mildly sweet with a slightly bitter flavor. The tea is a special blend of eight ingredients: Pu’er Maojian tea, rock candy, dates, longans, dried chrysanthemum, walnut, wolfberry, etc. It is served in a china cup with a cover and hence, it is a tea for distinguished guests. While drinking it, you should carry the teacup with your left hand, and lift the cover with your right hand. By gliding the lid along the edge of the cup, a natural sound of satisfaction is made, which is called “scraping tea cup”. Then you can sip your tea slowly; it normally takes 2 or 3 hours to have a cup of the tea. In a comfortable atmosphere, this kind of tea allows the drinkers to have a nice and long chat.
In Xinjiang, icy Kvass is considered the best drink to accompany barbecue. Kvass is amber in color, tastes mellow and slightly sweet. Kvass originated in Russia and means “fermented water” in Russian. It is fermented by mixing a variety of lactic acid bacteria and yeast with some other materials, such as nectar, hops, cereal, berries, white sugar and black sugar. It tastes slightly bitter, with a little sour flavor, but overall remains sweet and nutrient-rich.
People of different ethnic groups in Xinjiang are all fond of yogurt. Sayram Town, in Baicheng County, Southern Xinjiang, is famous for its Sayram Yogurt. With an appearance of jade-like white, the yogurt tastes mellow and smooth. The secret to a good yogurt lies in its raw material, and local people use cattle milk for making it. When cattle’s milk is boiled for yogurt, it is scooped up and down for full moisture volatilization and a high milk concentration. Thus, the yogurt becomes thick and tasty. When the boiled milk is cooled, a yogurt primer can be added. After 8 hours’ of fermentation, the delicious and full-bodied Sayram Yogurt is made. Locals like to take Sayram Yogurt as a gift when visiting their friends and relatives.
Marlosh, “m????????” in Russian means “ice cream.” The technology to make it was introduced to Tacheng area, Xinjiang, by Russians. Tacheng has high-quality milk and therefore by using traditional techniques and high quality raw material, delicious Marlosh was created and turned into a Tacheng delicacy. The ingredients of Marlosh include pure milk, eggs and sugar. In summer, it’s cool and refreshing to have a taste of Marlosh, and in winter it is a great match for hotpot. The most famous selling spot for Marlosh in Tacheng City is Yingbin Cold Drink Store, and locals will often take visiting friends to the store.
In addition to Marlosh, Plum Syrup is also one of the most popular drinks in Tacheng. It’s considered delicious because of its sweet and sour taste. Different from the plum syrups in other places, Tacheng’s Plum Syrup is made by boiling sour plums and dried apricots on a slow fire, until their fruit pulps turn into a soup, and then some sugar is added to balance the acidity. The Plum Syrup is drunk after it has cooled down and tastes even better frozen. Since both Tacheng and Yili are rich in plums, local people either eat them fresh plums, make plum jams or dry and boil them for drinks all year round.
In midsummer, on the streets of Hotan and Kashgar, Sharodoc, Hotan-style ice cream is the most popular drink. An ancient drink of the Uygur people, Sharodoc is made out of ice, yogurt and local honey. The maker shakes it all for the perfect blend and in this way, a bowl of Sharodoc, (Hotan’s ice cream or smoothie), is made. Even at the height of summer, Sharodoc will not upset your stomach due to the ice in it. In the past, when there was no refrigeration equipment, local people would take ice from a river or lake and store it in the cellar. In summers, the stored ice was taken out for making Sharodoc – a wonderful drink which can be called a gift of nature.
Translated by Tian Guiling
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