Youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks)

Step 1/5

• 500 g flour
• 4 g baking soda
• 6 g baking powder
• 8 g salt
• 220 ml milk
• 20 ml vegetable oil

• fine sieve
• bowl (large)
• kitchen towel

Set a fine sieve over a large bowl. Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into the bowl. Add salt, milk, and vegetable oil and mix into a smooth dough. If the dough is too dry, add a splash more milk. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for approx. 30 min.

Step 2/5

• oil (for greasing)

• plastic wrap

Coat rested dough with some more vegetable oil, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge overnight, approx. 8 hrs.

Step 3/5

• chopsticks

Remove from fridge and let rested dough come up to room temperature. On a clean work surface, divide into equal halves. Use a rolling pin to form each half into a long rectangle, approx. 1/3 in. / 1 cm thick. Slice into pieces, approx. 1 in. / 3 cm wide. Take one piece and press the center with a chopstick to create a deep impression, lengthwise. Top with another piece of dough and use the chopstick again to stick the pieces together. You can use a wooden skewer instead of a chopstick, if desired. Repeat with all the dough.

Step 4/5

• pot (large)

Heat a large pot of vegetable oil. Insert a wooden skewer into the oil, when lots of small bubbles form around the skewer, the oil is ready for frying. Stretch one dough stick to about double the length and gently add to the hot oil. Use chopsticks to gently turn the dough stick as it fries and floats to the top.