Method to Make Thin-Crisped, Fluffy, and Crunchy Chinese Fried Dough Sticks ～ New Recipe

Prepare all the ingredients before starting! Don't miss anything, even if it’s a small amount. Otherwise, it won’t come out like mine.

Add salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda to the flour and mix well. Use a whisk to mix it thoroughly.

Crack an egg into the flour. I used a large egg weighing 64 grams. Use chopsticks to mix the egg into the flour.

Gradually add 260 grams of water to the flour while constantly stirring with chopsticks until it forms a shaggy dough.

Finally, add the melted butter to the dough and mix evenly with chopsticks.

To knead the dough for fried dough sticks, use a folding technique instead of traditional kneading. Fold and gently press the dough for a few minutes until it becomes smooth. Check the video for the technique: fold inward while pressing so the butter is fully absorbed into the dough. Shape the dough into a rectangular form, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight to relax.

The next morning, take out the dough from the fridge and use it directly, no need to thaw. The relaxed dough will have great extensibility. Don't knead the dough again; keep it as is. Grease the work surface lightly to prevent sticking.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise, forming two long strips. Work with one half while keeping the other half wrapped in plastic wrap for later use. If you're a small family of three, you can even save one half for frying the next day!

Lightly grease the rolling pin and the work surface. Roll the dough lengthwise, flattening it slightly into a long shape. Cut into evenly sized pieces about 1.5 cm wide. Make sure each piece is separate and not sticking together.

The dough is very soft. Stack two strips together lightly. Grease chopsticks as well, then press the center of the stacked pieces with the chopsticks and gently lift them off.

Pinch the two ends tightly to prevent them from separating while frying.

Heat an appropriate amount of canola or vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. When a chopstick inserted into the oil bubbles profusely, it’s ready for frying. This method is more convenient than using a thermometer. Keep the heat at medium throughout.

Stretch the dough lightly. Avoid overstretching as it won’t puff up properly, but don’t leave it too thick as that would make it hard to eat after frying. Shape according to the size of your pot and amount of oil.

Pinch the ends of the stretched dough tightly, then gently lower into the oil. Once the dough floats, use chopsticks to gently turn it around so it cooks evenly. Fry until golden brown and fluffy before removing from the oil to drain.

And there you go! Thin, crispy, fluffy, healthy fried dough sticks are ready to enjoy! Fresh out of the fryer, they are absolutely delicious. While frying them, prepare soy milk using a blender, so both are ready simultaneously. Your family will love it 😊!