THE FAMOUS FOOD "CHINESE EDITION"

Nǐ hǎo ma...

   hai.. hai.. onijjang readers welcome back to my blog hohohoh...

latetly i really love eating some chicken porridge , its really make my tummy comfort, and another reason i eat porridge is the chewy crunchy on the top we called it cakwe in indonesia but did you guys know, there is a history behind the food?? of you guys curiouslets check it out..

......Xièxiè

YOUTIAO

   Youtiao, also known as the Chinese fried churros, Chinese cruller,Chinese oil stick, Chinese doughnut, You Char Kway/Cakwe/Cakoi/Kueh/Kuay (in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore), and fried breadstick,is a long golden-brown deep-fried strip of dough eaten in China and (by a variety of other names) in other East and Southeast Asian cuisines.

   Conventionally, youtiao are lightly salted and made so they can be torn lengthwise in two. Youtiao are normally eaten at breakfast as an accompaniment for rice congee, soy milk or regular milk blended with sugar.

HISTORY

   You tiao is nicknamed you zha gui, or deep fried ghost, which stems from a story told long ago during about a public protest that took place during a rather heavy and serious part of Chinese history.

   The protest involved a famous and well-respected General, Yue Fei, who was appraised by the people for his loyalty towards the Song Dynasty and his Emperor during his time at war defending the kingdom from outer invasions, particularly the Jin Dynasty.

   At that time, the Prime Minister, Qin Kuai, and his wife, Wang, grew jealous of him and formed a secret liaison with the invading northern tribe of the Jin Dynasty to frame Yue Fei under accusations of a crime and get him executed.

   Public civilians were frustrated by their inability to defend their General; so in reaction, a shao bing vendor and ci fan tuan vendor decided that they should devise a way to express their opinions. The pancake vendor decidedly sculpted two miniature people out of dough, representing Qin Kuai and Madam Wang. He then began slashing at their figures with his dough cutter. 

   The other vendor brought his deep-fry wok, twisted the two figures together into one piece of dough with their backs to each other, and threw them into the wok full of searing oil.

   While they were frying, the vendors called out for people to see. As a crowd of passer-byers formed to see the two ugly figures sizzling in the hot oil, they immediately called out, “Fried Kuai!” At the same time, Qin Kuai happened to pass this spectacle on his way from the imperial palace and was enraged with disbelief by the mutiny of his edible figure.

   In the vendors’ defense, two men stepped up and scooped the fried dough out of the oil to eat it. They exclaimed how delicious and crispy it was, which further infuriated Qin Kuai. The two food vendors combined businesses to continue making the fried Kuai. 

   Soon, their business was so busy that they had to design a simpler version of fried Kuai that was made of two strips of dough twisted together in order to represent Qin Kuai and his wife. The street food sensation quickly spread to other cities of China and eventually given the name, “you tiao.”

   During the Cultural Revolution in China, educated youths used food-related propaganda as a way of symbolically addressing issues aimed at the laobaixing. A well-known street food youtiao, a deep-fried cruller that literally translates to “oily strip,” appeared as a political emblem as the cheapest and lowliest form of Shanghai street food. 

   It came to represent the poor economic realities of students receiving government scholarships who could only afford to eat, at most, three youtiao a day. These student activists wanted to motivate the government to fund schools and provide living stipends for intellectuals.

   Youtiao had its origin dating back to the story of Yue Fei during the Southern Song Dynasty. Yue was one of China's most beloved heroes, a general whose patriotism was rooted in his childhood. He was born in a poor and humble family. When he was young, his mother tattooed on his back these 4 characters: "Jin Zhong Bao Guo" which meant Loyalty and Patriotism.

   As a young man, Yue Fei witnessed the fall of the northern Song dynasty to Jurchen invaders. As a general during the southern Song dynasty, he was determined to prevent the Jurchens from advancing into the south, and launched offensives to recover the former northern Song territory. 

   The soldiers who fought under Yue Fei highly respected him for his intelligence and integrity. His words to his soldiers became famous: "Do not tear down houses because you need firewood, even if you are freezing; do not steal from the people, even if you are hungry."

   Yue Fei won many victories against the Jins and once defeated an enemy force of 500,000 strong with only 800 men. The Jin commander sighed that it is easier to shake Mount Tai than Yue Fei's army.

   At that time, China was divided as to how to deal with the Jins. Many people wanted continued resistance and others wanted peace at all costs.

   Although Yue Fei, along with another general, Han Shizong, had recovered a large part of Song territory, the capitulationists dominated the court and had the real power. As Yue Fei was about to recover Kaifeng, the former northern Song capital, the emperor Gaozong recalled him back to Hangzhou. 

   Yue Fei could not believe what he saw and thought the order was a fake. He at first ignored it, but then Gaozong sent repeated orders telling him to come back to the capital. Yue Fei had to come back because to not do so would be insubordination. Of course he did not know the devious intentions of Gaozong and Qin Hui.

   Qin Hui the prime minister persuaded Gaozong that it would be better to make a peace treaty with the Jins rather than fight them. Qin Hui and his wife then thought of a scheme to get rid of Yue Fei. Yue Fei was thrown into jail based on fabricated charges and then executed.

   Although Qin Hui's act was despicable, I would say Gaozong was the real bad guy here. He held the ultimate authority and did not have to listen to Qin Hui. 

   He listened to Qin Hui because that would alleviate his insecurity of having to face the possibility of Yue Fei accompanying the two captured Song emperors back to the capital. Gaozong feared for his job and was willing to appease the Jin and keep his throne, rather than lose it by reestablishing Chinese sovereignty.

   The people hated Qin Hui afterwards. A dough maker took two pieces of dough, shaped them into Qin Hui and his wife, dipped them in boiling hot oil, and invited people to take bites out of his new delicacy. 

   It is said that the food, originally in the shape of two human-shaped pieces of dough but later evolved into two pieces joined in the middle, represents Qin Hui and his wife, both having a hand in collaborating with the enemy to bring about the great general's demise. Thus the youtiao is deep fried and eaten as if done to the traitorous couple.

   People began to call this food "You Zha Hui". This is said to be the origins of today's You Tiao.

Today there are many ways to eat Youtiao/Yao Char Kwai.

China

   Although generally known as yóutiáo in Standard Mandarin throughout China, the dish is also known as guǒzi (餜子) in northern China. 

   In Min Nan-speaking areas, such as Taiwan, it is known as iû-chiā-kóe (油炸粿), where kóe (粿/餜) means cake or pastry, hence "oil-fried cake/pastry". In Cantonese-speaking areas this is rendered as yàuhjagwái (油炸鬼), where gwái literally means "devil" or "ghost".

Folk etymology

   The Cantonese name yàuhjagwái literally means "oil-fried devil" and, according to folklore, is an act of protest against Song Dynasty official Qin Hui, who is said to have orchestrated the plot to frame the general Yue Fei, an icon of patriotism in Chinese culture. 

   It is said that the food, originally in the shape of two human-shaped pieces of dough but later evolved into two pieces joined in the middle, represents Qin Hui and his wife, both having a hand in collaborating with the enemy to bring about the great general's demise. 

   Thus the youtiao is deep fried and eaten as if done to the traitorous couple. In keeping with the legend, youtiao are often made as two foot-long rolls of dough joined along the middle, with one roll representing the husband and the other the wife.

Indonesia

   In Indonesia, the fried dough is known as cakwe and is commonly chopped or thinly sliced and then eaten for breakfast.In Indonesia, the fried dough is known as cakwe (pronounced [tʃakwe]). 

   It is commonly chopped or thinly sliced and then eaten for breakfast with bubur ayam (chicken porridge) or eaten as snacks with dipping of local version of chilli vinaigrette or peanut/sate sauce.

Laos

   In Laos, the youtiao is generally called pah thawng ko (cf. Thai patongkoh) and is commonly eaten with coffee at breakfast in place of a baguette (khao jii).It is also eaten as an accompaniment to chicken noodle soup.

Malaysia and Singapore

   In Malaysia and Singapore, it is known in English as you char kway, you char kuey, or u char kway, transliterations of its local Hokkien (Minnan) name (油炸粿 iû-chiā-kóe). 

   It is rendered in Malay as cakoi, an alteration of the Minnan term, "char kuey". The Malay version comes with various fillings, which are either sweet, such as red bean paste or savoury, such as sardines fried in tomato sauce. 

   The plain version is usually eaten with coconut and egg jam kaya. Cakoi is usually sold in morning street markets or "pasar malam" night markets.

   It is also normally served with Bak kut teh (肉骨茶), porridge or rice congee, sliced thinly to be dipped into the broth/congee and eaten. It is also commonly eaten with coffee or soy milk for breakfast.

Myanmar

   The youtiao is a popular breakfast food in Myanmar, where it is called e kya kway.

   The youtiao is also a popular breakfast food in Myanmar (Burma) where it is called e kya kway. It is usually eaten with steamed yellow beans (with salt and oil). It is also usually dipped into coffee or tea.

   kya kway is also eaten with rice porridge, or cut into small rings and used as a condiment for mohinga. Tea culture is very prevalent in Myanmar, and every shop will serve e kya kway for breakfast.

   Some shops stuff meat into the youtiao and deep fry it over again. It is called e kya kway asar thoot – stuffed e kya kway.

Philippines

   In the Philippines, the youtiao is called bicho (pl. bicho-bicho) although this name can also refer to sweetened, fried dough balls similar to the buñuelo, also called cascaron. In the Visayan region, they call it "sia-koy," usually twined like a rope.

Thailand

   In Thailand, youtiao is generally called pathongko (Thai: ปาท่องโก๋, pronounced [paːtʰɔ̂ŋkǒː]) due to a confusion with a different kind of dessert. Pathongko is a loanword adapted from either Teochew Minnan beh teung guai (白糖粿; Mandarin: bái tángguǒ) or Cantonese of baahktònggòu (白糖糕; Mandarin: bái tánggāo).

   However, both possible original names are different desserts, not to be confused with the real white sugar sponge cake (白糖糕). It was previously sold together with youtiao by street vendors who normally walked around and shouted both names out loud. However, Thai customers often mistakenly thought that the more popular youtiao was "pathongko". 

   Eventually, the real pathongko disappeared from the market because of its unpopularity. Ironically, the disappearance of real "pathongko" leaves youtiao being called under the former's name, but the latter's real name is generally unknown amongst the Thais. But the original white sugar sponge cake can still be easily found in Trang Province in Southern Thailand under its original name. Both Thailand and Cambodia are relatively neighbors to each other. So this is how they both have similar cuisines in ways.

   In Cambodia, it is used in rice porridge or noodle soups like Phnom Penh noodle soup kuy teav. This fried delicacy is dipped into the noodle soup. In Thailand, pathongko is also dipped into condensed milk or, in the South, eaten with kaya.

Vietnam

   In Vietnamese cuisine, it is known by a name that is a mix of Sino-Vietnamese and native Vietnamese to achieve a pronunciation similar to the Cantonese name, as dầu cháo quẩy, giò cháo quẩy or simply quẩy. 油 ("Dầu/giò") 鬼 ("quỷ/quẩy") coming from the approximate Chinese name. 

   In Vietnam, giò cháo quẩy is eaten typically with congee, pho in Hanoi and sometimes with wonton noodle (mi hoanh thanh).

Other countries

   In Australia it is sometimes called chopstick cake by some Cambodian Chinese immigrants because of its resemblance to a pair of chopsticks. 

   In Cambodia, it is called Cha Kway, which is similar to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Cha Kway can be eaten with along with porridge, Chinese noodles, noodles, coffee, or condensed milk.

Ingredients:

   You tiao contains flour, water, sugar, salt, baking soda and vegetable oil. Street vendors usually add alum, potassium aluminum sulfate crystals, to recipes in order to increase the puffy, crispy exterior of their bread.

Cooking Method:

   All ingredients are combined to form a soft dough, which is kneaded and left to rest two to three times. The dough is brushed with oil and folded then cut into smaller pieces to be stretched out and twisted together into pairs. A wok of oil is heated before the strips of dough are deep-fried till golden.

Culinary applications and variants

   At breakfast, youtiao can be stuffed inside shāobǐng (Traditional Chinese: 燒餅, Simplified Chinese:烧饼; literally roasted flatbread) to make a sandwich known as shāobǐng yóutiáo (Traditional Chinese: 燒餅油條, Simplified Chinese： 烧饼油条). 

   Youtiao wrapped in a rice noodle roll is known as zháliǎng. In Yunnan, a roasted riceflour pancake usually wrapped around a youtiao is known as shaoerkuai(Traditional Chinese: 燒餌塊, Simplified Chinese: 烧饵块). Yet another name for a sandwich variant is jianbingguǒzi (Traditional Chinese: 煎餅果子, Simplified Chinese: 煎饼果子; literally youtiao and fried bread).

   Youtiao are used to dip into various soups, for example xidoufen.

Youtiao is also an important ingredient of the food Cífàn tuán in Shanghai cuisine.

   Tánggāo (糖糕), or "sugar cake", is a sweet, fried food item similar in appearance to youtiao but shorter in length.

   In Thailand, youtiao or pathongko (ปาท่องโก๋) in Thai are eaten for breakfast with soymilk. In Cambodia, it's called chhakhvay (ឆាខ្វៃ) and often eaten with kuy teav (គុយទាវ) (noodle soup) for breakfast.

SOURCE BY

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4107975/all

"Chinese Breakfast" at About.com. Accessed 1 May 2008.

Healthier 'youtiao'? Chengdu vendor finds breakthrough recipe | South China Morning Post

Youtiao (Chinese Oil Stick) -Chinese Cruller - China Sichuan Food

Youtiao Chinese Deep Fried Donuts) Recipe - Food.com

Chinese Donut Recipe (Crisp Fried Fritters / Breadstick) | 油條 Yóutiáo - Angel Wong's Kitchen

許 極 燉. "常用 漢字 台 語 詞典". 台北 </s>: 自立 晚報 社 文化 出版 部, 1992. (A Taiwanese dictionary with Chinese used Chinese characters. Taipei: Independence Evening Post, 1992.) (in Chinese)

Yew Char Kway the Easy Way by denise fletcher on July 7, 2011

Youtiao (Chinese Crullers) - Ang Sarap

West Lake, a Collection of Folktales (ISBN 9620400542) page 181.

"Laos: Food and Drink." Archived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. at CPAMedia. Accessed 30 May 2008.

http://www.sh-streetfood.org/you-tiao-chinese-cruller-%E6%B2%B9%E6%9D%A1/