Yau Char Kway  - Traditional No Ammonia
 adapted from  asiangarden2table with modifications. ( updated 08 July 2019)

Ingredients
1 tbsp/15g double acting baking powder
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp/1.5g baking soda
1 tbsp/15g cooking oil
1egg  ( optional) * see notes below
1 + 1/8 cups/275 water
3 cups / 450 all purpose flour

Method
1. Dissolve the salt in the water in a mixing bowl.
2. Using Chop stick beat the  egg  together with  baking powder, baking soda and  oil
3. Add in water and finally add in the flour bit by bit.
4. Mix  all the ingredients together
5  Knead for about 3-5 minutes using your hands,  the dough need to be wet and sticky at firs but will eventually
   smoothen out . Add a little flour if necessary
6.  Rest the dough for four hours in the fridge (4 hours for best  result)
8.  .Brush some oil onto a working surface and roll the dough out into a long rectangle block about 1/2 in thick
9. Cut into 1 x 2  inch  strips.  Place two strips, one on top of each other. Do the same for the rest of the strips..
10. Heat oil in a kuali. to about 400 degrees Celsius. Take the strips and press lightly on the two strips of dough with a chopstick. Holds both ends of the dough and stretch and twist gently  the strips before lowering it into the hot oil. Deep fry, turning constantly until each  cruller turns puffy and golden brown.

Notes
1. Adding egg will increase  and strengthen the gluten structure but will make the it less crispy. Add only when you want to eat it with porridge or dip in soup.
2. The you tiao must be deep fried with 2 strips glued together. If you fry with one strip the result will not be good.
The you tiao will not have the big hollow  rings inside. It is amazing how our Chinese ancestor can invent such simple method using simple ingredients.

 

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