Fried Dough Bits

Fried Dough Bits

　　A distinctive Beijing snack. Fried Dough Bits are deep yellow in color, complemented by green highlights, with a soft yet chewy texture and a rich, savory taste. In the early years of the Republic of China, there was a noodle shop called Guangfu Guan near Hufang Bridge in Xuanwu District, Beijing. To meet customer preferences, the shop chopped the dough into bits, boiled them, mixed them with shrimp paste, and then stir-fried them—thus giving rise to the earliest form of Fried Dough Bits. The recipe was later refined, which helped propel Fried Dough Bits to great renown.

　　Fried Dough Bits are made with flour, sesame oil, beef, salt, vinegar, leafy greens, soy sauce, and more. “For years a fleeting guest in Yanjing, no meal ever forgot Mu Guiying. To her waitstaff I leave this word: do you still stir the sauce with your own hands?” The preparation method involves kneading flour and water into a dough, cutting it into small rounds slightly larger than soybeans. Boil water, pour in the dough pieces while stirring continuously in one direction with an iron spatula. After all the dough is added, stir every minute or two. Once boiling, cook for another five or six minutes. When the dough bits float to the surface, scoop them into a basin of cold water to cool. For the beef, remove membranes and cut across the grain into strips or minced pieces. Wash and prepare the leafy greens. In a wok, heat sesame oil over high heat until about 60% hot, add the beef strips and stir-fry for half a minute. Then add soy sauce, vinegar, and salt, and continue stir-frying briefly before adding the cooked dough bits. Stir-fry for about half a minute, then add fresh greens and cook a little longer. Once the sauce and juices have fully soaked into the dough bits, transfer to a plate and serve.

　　The creator of Fried Dough Bits was Madam Mu and her daughter, who lived near Zangjiaqiao outside Hepingmen in Beijing.

　　In the early years of the Republic of China, the mother and daughter ran a small eatery named “Guangfu Guan.” With limited capital and ordinary fare, business was poor. One day, they only prepared ten jin (approximately 5 kg) of glutinous noodle dough but had five or six jin left unsold by closing time. Worried, the mother and daughter suddenly hit upon an idea. They flattened the dough board, re-kneaded the leftover dough, and then formed it into small bits slightly larger than dice. These were boiled in hot water, scooped out, and spread out to cool. That evening, they stir-fried the cooked dough bits with some greens—and were surprised by how delicious they were. As they ate, they discussed adding this new noodle dish to their menu, naming it “Fried Dough Bits.”

　　The next day, thanks to the appealing flavor and low price of Fried Dough Bits, both new and regular customers flocked to try it. The five or six jin of dough bits sold out in no time.

　　When Fried Dough Bits first appeared, they were mostly enjoyed by working-class people. But as the dish improved and gained popularity, many socialites and celebrities also came to try it. From then on, this unique Fried Dough Bits added a new variety to China’s noodle cuisine with its distinctive style, remaining beloved by the public ever since.