Traditionally Youtiao recipe uses aged dough which makes the process lengthy. I did some research on the internet looking for a convenient Youtiao recipe but could not find one where you could make then in an hour plus. So I decided to take on the challenges to shorten the process as much as possible. Read on to find out how!
Youtiao, You Char Kway, Cakoi or Shakoy?
Youtiao is commonly eaten in China and many other parts of the world, especially Asian like East and Southeast Asia. As youtiao evolve around the local culture, but they still preferred as breakfast. Normally eaten paired with porridge or soy milk. In today’s era, they generally comes in two flavors – lightly salted or lightly sweetened, depending on the local culture.
In Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, they are commonly called You Char Kway, Cakoi, Cakwe, Kueh or Kuay. Meanwhile, in the Philipines, it is called Shakoy.
Why “You Char Kway”?
You Char Kway directly translated as “oil-fried-devil”, it was said that this dish is relevant to Song Dynasty of a couple as to act to protest against a general. The initial shape of the dough was two human-shaped dough, where later on changed to two pieces joined in the middle which represent an official and his wife, both joining together to bring down a general during their era. Thus, the dough is fried and eaten to symbolized as if it is done to the traitorous couple.
1 Hour Proofing Youtiao? How?
Usually, Youtiao is made by adding aged dough as the proofing factor, and they are left overnight for about 8 hours for the natural yeast to do their job, creating air pockets that give them the crunchy on the outside while soft in the inside texture.
What we can do is simply used instant yeast to hasten the proofing process and also ensure that the temperature for proofing is warm so that the yeast would do their work quickly, I did so by leaving them nearby the window with sunlight.
Author have a say…
Youtiao is popularly known as You Char Kway in Malaysia and Singapore, in other words they are Chinese Fried Churros, Chinese Cruller, Chinese Oil Stick, or Chinese Doughnut. In general, youtiao is eaten during breakfast alongside soy milk and congee. However, in Malaysia and Singapore culture, we eat them with kopi (coffee) and bak kut teh. The traditional method of making them was to proof them for 8 hours overnight, whereas I am always trying to find an alternative method to quicken any food that is produced while trying to maintain similar results. After some understanding of how youtiao is made, I’ve made some theory myself and give it a try. Surprisingly they work! Here I am sharing it with you all how I make it happen with just 1 hour proofing!
Source : Wiki
Super Quick YouTiao Recipe Chinese Fried Churros
Ingredients
- 300 g All Purpose Flour
- 200 ml Water (or milk)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Instant Yeast
- 1 tbsp Oil (options - melted butter, lard, margarine)
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Instructions
To make the dough
- Prepare a clean and large mixing bowl
- .Add all purpose flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and instant yeast into the mixing bowl.
- Use a fork to mix them up.
- Then begin adding water a little at a time and continue to stir to mix in the water.
- Once all the water are added, keep mixing with the fork until you have a dough that begin to form.
- Scrap off all the dough from the fork and the side of the mixing bowl.
- Begin kneading with your hand. Knead until dough become smooth.
- Add oil and knead until all the oil are absorb into the dough.
- At this stage the dough should be slightly sticky and moist.
- Roll the dough into round shape.
- Then add 1 tsp of oil onto the dough and gently apply it around the dough.
- Also do oil the surface of the mixing bowl.
- Leave the dough inside the mixing bowl, keep covered with cling wrap and let it rise for 1 hour.
Cutting and Shaping
- Generously flour your working table and then gently transfer the risen dough onto the floured area.
- Again flour the dough.
- Then gently pull and shape it into a rectangular shape
- .Use a rolling pin and gently roll into 3 – 4 mm thickness of elongated rectangular shape.
- Then cut them into about 1 inches width.
- Prepare a bowl of clean water and a clean bamboo skewer.**
- Use the skewer to press in the middle of the dough vertically as the length of the dough to create a middle lining. Do this step to alternate pieces of the dough.
- Then dip the skewer in the water and again lightly moist the middle line of the dough.
- Once the middle line is moist, place the non-lined piece of dough on top of the lined dough
- .Then again with the skewer, gently press on the middle to ensure that the top piece sticks to the bottom piece.
- Repeat this process until all the cut dough is done.
Deep Frying
- Preheat cooking oil to 180°C in a frying pan.
- Gently lift up a piece of dough and slightly stretch it and put it into the hot oil.
- As it is being fried, do turn it consistently to ensure it is well fried.
- Once it is golden all around, transfer to a plate, and serve.
Video
Notes
Tips
- The traditional method of youtiao making requires at least 8 hours of proofing where no yeast is added, so natural fermentation took place to create the air pockets. To quicken this, I’ve added Instant Yeast to shorten the proofing time to 1 hour.
- Even after it is proofed, traditionally it is rolled into a rectangular shape and let it proof again so that the air pocket will rise again. In order to skip this step, we have to gently roll it so that we do not compress the air pocket during the rolling process.
- Season them in any way you want them, you can make them sweeter or add dry spices to spice up the game!
- Also do make them into other shapes!
Recipe works well if you need to whip up a batch of you tiaos urgently like I did today when we suddenly decided to make congee using our left over Christmas turkey. It’s a bit more doughy than usual, but it rises nicely and puffs up when fried.