The next time you order extra Yau Char Kwai with your Congee or Bak Kut Teh, remember it is more than a deep-fried caloric bomb!
It is decidedly more harmful than not eating healthily.
The innocent-looking fried dough stick is often eaten as a snack or for breakfast for the Chinese.
Whatever it is called, the fried dough is a famous teatime snack on its own or dunked in intense hot Kopi O (local coffee)
In some countries, the Yau Char Kwai is the perfect companion to freshly brewed soy milk.
Yau Char Kwai has a light, airy, and chewy texture.
It has the perfect crunch and chewiness, and it is best eaten dunked in steaming bowls of herbal Bak Kut Teh broth or with Congee.
Why is it called ‘Yau Char Kwai’?
Some people know it by its Mandarin name, ‘Youtiao,’ meaning oil sticks.
In Malay, it’s simply ‘Cakoi.’
Cantonese speakers call it ‘Yau Char Kwai’ for a good reason.
Yau Char Kwai in Cantonese means ‘oil-fried ghosts/devils.’
The Sinister Story Behind Yau Char Kwai
The deep-fried and delicious snacks are part of history.
According to legend, the dish dates back to the Song Dynasty (960AD-1279).
These famous fried breadsticks are associated with a legend about a treacherous imperial minister in China.
Back in the Song Dynasty, the snack was eaten to protest against the corrupted minister Qin and his wife, Wang.
The evil couple orchestrated a plot to accuse a national patriot, and he was sentenced to death.
Yau Char Kwai, a Cantonese term, translates to ‘oil-fried devil’ in English.
In 1126, the Jin Dynasty attacked the northern half of China, forcing the Song to move to the south.
General Yue Fei, a nationalist and folk hero, led the fights against the Jin Dynasty and fought many successful campaigns.
He would not be defeated by the Jin Dynasty but rather by Qin Hui, a political rival and an imperial minister.
He fled after being held hostage by Jin.
Yet, some people thought he was working with his previous captors because of the way he managed to escape.
Yue was abruptly ordered to end his campaign and return to the capital as he was preparing to recapture the city of Kaifeng.
There, Qin had Yue executed on unfounded treason allegations decried by the general’s subordinates and the public.
In Hangzhou, a hawker made two pieces of conjoined dough and fried them, claiming that they symbolized the cunning Qin Hui and his wife, Lady Wang.
Enraged by the loss of their national hero, the common folk expressed their fury through defiant acts of protest against the evil duo.
Yau Char Kwai was created for the first time during that period.
When Qin approached the hawker about this portrayal of him, he was rebuffed and chased away by the angry crowd, who were chanting that they wanted him to be boiled in oil.
Though Qin managed to avoid punishment for his misdeeds during his lifetime, a statue of him kneeling before Yue’s tomb after his death.
Over the centuries, the statue has been abused by angry visitors and remains there today.
The authorities constantly have to stop tourists from spitting on it.
Yau Char Kwai Shop
Cintra Street is George Town’s old Cantonese quarter.
We loved the area as some of our favorite shops and restaurants are within walking distance.
Right opposite Wen Chang Hainan Chicken Rice is the Yau Char Kwai Shop.
Today, we were early and watched how the pastry dough mound was transformed into Yau Char Kwai.
We watched her delicately kneading the dough by hand and gluing two pieces together with water to form a pair.
Then, she gently stretches each dough piece over hot, boiling oil to fry the snack.
Her helper used an oversized pair of chopsticks to roll the long dough sticks bobbing on the hot oil’s surface.
She delicately stretches the soft dough over hot, boiling oil to cook the Yau Char Kwai.
Her assistant used an extra-large pair of chopsticks of dough bobbing on the top of the hot oil using an extra-large pair of chopsticks.
They roll them around to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
The crisp, deep-fried Chinese crullers are rested to drain the excess oil before packaging.
Then, carefully wrap the crispy dough sticks in the paper, ensuring they don’t bend or break.
After, she places them inside plastic bags.
The Yau Char Kwai from this legendary shop.
In Penang, the best Yau Char Kwai is from this legendary shop with a history of 80 years.
The Yau Char Kwai stays crisp and has a delicious crunch, perfect with black coffee.
So, the next time tasty Yau Char Kwai is on the menu, remember that this delicious pastry came about thanks to a heinous act of treason.
Yau Char Kwai Shop
76 Cintra Street,
10100 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm
Blog Disclosure: This is a NOT sponsored blog post. All opinions are mine. The writer and friends paid for their meal.
