Youtiao

Method

1. Whisk 120 g of plain flour with 0.75 tsp of baking powder, 0.25 tsp of bicarbonate of soda and 0.25 tsp of fine salt in a bowl so the raising agents are evenly dispersed — uneven mixing gives patchy puffing.
2. Pour in 78 ml of cool water and 1 tsp of neutral oil and stir with a chopstick until a shaggy, very soft dough forms. Knead in the bowl for 2 minutes only — just until smooth. It should be sticky and slack, not firm.
3. Cover and rest 15 minutes, then fold the dough over on itself 8 to 10 times with lightly oiled hands. Rest and fold twice more at 15 minute intervals; the dough will become silky and extensible. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. Take the dough out and leave it, still covered, for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Meanwhile pour the frying oil into a wok or deep pan to a depth of 6 to 7 cm and heat to 190C — a scrap of dough should surface and puff within 3 seconds.