Youtiao Twin Dough Sticks with Warm Soy Milk
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats.
Crisp, hollow Chinese twin dough sticks served with a bowl of warm soy milk for dipping.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Mix. Whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt in the bowl. Beat the egg with the cold water and oil, pour it in and stir to a rough dough.
- 2
Knead. Knead for 3 min, cover and leave for 15 min, then knead for 2 min more until the dough is smooth and soft.
- 3
Rest. Shape it into a flat log of about 20 cm, rub it with a little oil, wrap it well and chill for 12-24 h. Take it out of the fridge 1 h before frying.
- 4
Cut and pair. Roll the dough on a lightly oiled surface into a strip 10 cm wide and 6 mm thick. Cut it into 16 strips 2.5 cm wide, lay them on top of each other in pairs and press a chopstick down firmly along the centre of each pair.
- 5
Heat the oil. Fill the wok with oil to about 5 cm, no more than half full, and heat it to 200 °C.
- 6
Fry. Hold a pair by both ends, gently stretch it to about 25 cm and lower it into the oil. Keep turning it for 1.5-2 min at 190-200 °C, until it puffs to twice its size and turns deep golden and crisp. Drain on the rack and fry the rest one or two at a time.
- 7
Serve. Warm the soy milk with the sugar until steaming. Serve it in bowls with the hot sticks for dipping.

Common mistake
The most common mistake is skipping the long rest; without it the dough will not stretch or puff.
More from the cat
- Turn the sticks constantly in the first seconds so they puff evenly.
- Very hot oil is essential; below 190 °C they stay dense and greasy.
- Use oil, not flour, on the surface so the pairs stay stuck together.
Storage
Best eaten within an hour. Re-crisp leftovers in a 200 °C oven for 4-5 min. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large bowl
- cling film or a lidded container
- rolling pin
- sharp knife
- chopstick
- wok or wide heavy pan, at least 28 cm
- deep-frying or probe thermometer
- long chopsticks or tongs
- wire rack over a tray lined with kitchen paper
- small saucepan
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 667 kcal |
| Protein | 16.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 70.1 g |
| of which sugars | 8.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 7.5 g |
| Fat | 35.6 g |
| of which saturates | 3.2 g |
| Fibre | 3.3 g |
| Salt | 2.31 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
