Fried dough sticks in youcha

Fried dough sticks in youcha

　　Although youcha may seem simple, the preparation process is quite laborious. First, high-quality wheat flour is stir-fried with edible vegetable oil and seasonings. Controlling the heat is crucial—too low and it won’t cook properly, too high and it will easily burn. Therefore, the heat must be moderate, and the stirring must be constant. During the frying process, the flour forms into little oil clumps. These little oil clumps are delicious, and most people can't fry them just right. A single batch of fried flour often takes several hours to cook through. Once the flour is fried, it’s time to make the youcha. First, the fried flour is mixed with cool boiled water, stirred until even, then hot water is added while continuously stirring and heating. Ingredients such as sesame seeds, almonds, soybeans, and peanuts are added, and the youcha is complete.

　　Making the dough sticks is even more complicated. The dough must be prepared the night before, kneaded thoroughly, and mixed with seasonings. It’s left to rest until the next morning, then hand-rolled, twisted, and deep-fried until cooked. Once the dough sticks are made and added to the prepared youcha, it becomes youcha with fried dough sticks.

　　Youcha with fried dough sticks is especially popular among the elderly and children—for one, it’s easy to digest, two, it’s nourishing, and three, it’s inexpensive. Wheat flour benefits the stomach and intestines, boosts strength, and builds firm muscle. Sesame strengthens lung qi and clears the nasal passages. Soybeans are high in protein and aid digestion. Almonds detoxify, induce sweating, and regulate qi. Peanuts enrich the blood. When the dough sticks soak in the youcha, they become soft and tasty. The aromatic youcha, along with the distinctive fragrance of sesame, almonds, soybeans, peanuts, and other dried ingredients, makes it so enjoyable that one could easily drink two big bowls in one go.