Chinese Crullers (You-Tiao) Recipe

Chinese Crullers (You-Tiao) Recipe

600 g high protein (bread) flour

1½ teaspoon alum (available at Chinese medicinal hall), pound to powder form if it's in rock form

400 ml water

150 g yeast paste*

1½ teaspoons ammonia powder

1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons oil

* Ingredients for Yeast Paste:

200 g flour

300 ml warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

Method:

Add yeast into flour and mix well in a big bowl.  Slowly pour in warm water as you knead the mixture into a paste.  Cover with a wet cloth and let it stand at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours for the yeast to prove.   When ready, dissolve alum in half portion of water (200 ml).  Mix well with proven yeast paste.  Leave aside.  Mix remaining water (200 ml) with ammonia powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.  Combine this mixture with the earlier yeast mixture.  Add in oil and stir well.  Slowly add in high protein flour and work in to form a smooth pliable dough.  Leave aside for ½ hour to proof.  Knead dough for a while and brush surface with some oil.  Cover with a pot cover and proof for 2 hours.  When ready, sprinkle some flour on a work surface or table and roll out dough into a big rectangular 1-cm thick strips.  Cut into rectangular 4 pieces and brush every piece of dough with some water on the surface facing up.  Place two strips together, one on top of another making them 2 rectangular pieces now.  Cut into ½ inch width strips and press slightly with a wet bamboo stick in the center.  Stretch the dough a little and lower into very hot boiling oil.  Deep fry over medium heat until puffy and it becomes golden brown, turning with a chopstick or tongs so that they will brown evenly.  Remove and let drain.  The Chinese Crullers of "You-Tiao" is best served when hot with a hot cup of Chinese freshly brewed black coffee or plain hot congee for breakfast.