Twisted Fried Pretzels

This must be one of the oldest chinese snacks that i know of. It used to be sold as an everyday snack but now i think they only appear on the supermarket shelves during the chinese new year. It is not diffiult to make and the ingredients are few but it is tedious as it has to be twisted one at a time.

Ingredients:

600 gm all purpose flour

4 Tbsp rice flour

100 gm cooking oil

280 ml water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Instant yeast

1 tsp double action baking powder

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Sugar syrup(optional):

1 cup coarse sugar

160 ml water

2 - 3 tbsps all purpose flour

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for the plaits together and rest for 20 mins

Cut dough into tiny pieces and using the pasta machine, roll the dough out flat at the thickest (no. 7) and repeat with the rest of the dough pieces.

Change to the fetucinne size cutter and cut rolled dough. Cut one strip to measure 10 inches or smaller and use it as a guide for the other strips.

To twist - Roll a strip to a round rope shape and press down one end , using the other hand, push rope forward so that it gets twisted, as twisted as possible. Let the 2 ends meet and then fold in half again. pinch the ends or thread one end into the loop of the other. If it has been twisted well, it will form a plait by itself.

Deep fry the twisted plaits in hot oil until golden brown.

If you like it to be sugar coated, cook the sugar and water till thick, almost crystalise and then add in the fried plaits, sieve flour onto the plaits and fry till sugar crystalised

Dish up, leave to cool.


Serves