Tian Doujiang & Youtiao
甜豆漿與油條·(tián dòujiāng & yóutiáo)
Zao Can (早餐) – The Morning Hustle
Six a.m., the hot oil hisses in a standard wok, vendors shout over the roar of a jet burner and the scrape of metal tongs, bringing traditional vendor methods straight to the stove. By letting the dough rest overnight, nailing the constant chopstick flip, and mastering the crucial "fake boil" of fresh soy milk, you pull off a miracle of shattered, hollow dough and rich, sweet milk. Drop jagged pieces of youtiao into the bowl, drink, and get on with the day.
Before you start
Soak the beans the night before.
Place the rinsed soybeans in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of cold filtered water. Leave them in the refrigerator overnight to double or triple in size.
Mix the dough the night before.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the egg, cold water, and 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Knead for just 2 to 3 minutes until a shaggy ball forms. Do not over-knead. Lightly oil the dough, seal in a bag, and refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients
- dried soybeans1 cup
- filtered water8 cup
- white granulated sugar1/4 cup
- all-purpose flour2 cup
- aluminum-free baking powder1 tbsp
- baking soda1/2 tsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- egg1 large
- ice cold water1/2 cup
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- vegetable oil4 cup
Method
- 01
Wake up the dough.
Take the youtiao dough out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours before cooking so the gluten completely relaxes at room temperature.
- 02
Blend and strain the soy milk.
Drain the soaked beans. Blend them with 4 cups of fresh filtered water on high for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Pour through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth into a large, deep pot, squeezing firmly to extract every drop of milk.
- 03
Navigate the fake boil.
Heat the milk over medium-high, stirring frequently. When it hits about 185°F, thick foam will violently surge to the top. Do not be fooled—it is not boiling and is still raw. Immediately lower the heat so it doesn't spill, then gently simmer for a full 15 to 20 minutes.
- 04
Sweeten the milk.
Turn off the heat and stir in the white sugar. Never use brown sugar, as its organic acids will instantly curdle the hot soy proteins.
- 05
Shape the youtiao.
Roll the room-temperature dough into a rectangle 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch strips. Stack two strips together, dip a chopstick in water, and press it firmly down the center lengthwise to bind them.
- 06
Fry and expand.
Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 400°F. Gently stretch a shaped dough stick to nearly double its length and drop it in. Immediately and continuously roll it with chopsticks so it balloons outward evenly. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes until deeply golden and hollow.
- 07
Serve immediately.
Tear the hot, shattered dough into pieces and dunk directly into the steaming bowls of sweet soy milk.
Notes
The necessity of the fake boil.
Raw soybeans contain trypsin inhibitors that cause severe stomach illness. Sustained simmering for 15 to 20 minutes after the initial foam surge is an absolute, non-negotiable requirement.
Aluminum-free baking powder is mandatory.
Standard baking powders containing aluminum will leave a bitter, metallic aftertaste in the hollow dough.
Respect the white sugar.
Do not try to make the recipe healthier with unrefined brown sugar; you will break the emulsion and end up with a pot of unappetizing curds.