Crispy Wafer

Crispy Wafer

　　    Ingredients: [wheat flour][alkaline flour][alum][peanut oil]

　　    A traditional Beijing snack. As the name suggests, crispy wafer is both thin and crisp—thin but not fragile, crisp but not tough, fragrant, flaky, and delicious. Though now a common street snack, it was once an imperial dish served in the Qing court. The *Beijing Miscellany* records that in the 12th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1673), Kangxi, incognito, visited the Old Summer Palace and passed by Guangtong Temple near Xizhimen. He highly praised the crispy wafers at Yilu Ju, after which an imperial order was issued for them to be served at court, making them even more widely renowned. An old Beijing saying goes, “Outside Xizhimen Gate, there are three delicacies: tinder, golden cake, and crispy wafer.” Crispy wafers are delightfully flaky and toasty, and can be eaten fresh or crushed and mixed with savory fillings as a vegetarian ingredient. They are a beloved snack among locals. However, due to the labor-intensive and time-consuming preparation process, though still available in the market, they are not always consistently supplied and often run out. **Preparation Method:** Dissolve alum, fine salt, and alkaline flour in warm water using a wooden pestle. Then pour in wheat flour and warm water to form a dough. Flatten the dough, fold it crosswise and lengthwise three times each, then place it back in a basin, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 6 hours. Once rested, press the dough into a thick slab, brush with a layer of peanut oil, and cut into pieces with a small knife. Heat peanut oil until very hot (about 80% heat), flatten each dough piece into a rectangular sheet about one foot long and six inches wide. Use the tip of a knife to make random slits on the surface. Lift the sheet with both hands, dip it briefly in the hot oil twice to help it hold shape, then submerge it in the oil. Fry until both sides are golden brown, then remove and serve.