Chinese Breadstick Twists (Dza Ma Hwa)

Ingredients:
about 32 twists

 2 cups all-purpose flour

 1 tablespoon sugar

 2 pinches salt

 1 large egg

 2/3 cup cold water, divided

 oil for frying

 confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions –
1. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in egg and add water in 3 additions,
stirring in between each addition.
2. Knead in the bowl for a few minutes. It will be lumpy but should not get stuck to your hands.
You can add a little flour if needed to get it to form a ball. Coat the ball with a little flour and
return to the bowl. Cover with a wet towel and rest for 2 to 4 hours.
3. Uncover dough and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover with wet
towel and rest for another 10 minutes.
4. Heat the oil for frying to a lower temperature, about 280 degrees F.
5. Use half the dough first. (Keep the other half under the towel in the bowl.) Pat it into an oval on
a well-floured surface. Roll to 1/2″ thick. Cut 1/2″ strips. For shorter pieces, you can twist two
strands together.
For longer pieces, you can fold in half, holding the midpoint in one hand and the two ends in
the other, then twist.
Repeat until you have used up all the dough.
6. The amount you fry in each batch depends on your pot size and amount of oil. Don’t crowd too
much. Fry for 15 minutes, turning once in a while. They should be golden, but not burnt and
not too dark.
Tip for frying: Sometimes the twists will want to come apart. Hold the two ends of the dough
twists and dip the center into the oil for a few seconds first, then release into the oil
completely. This will help keep twists together.
7. Drain on paper towels (and toss in confectioner’s sugar if you want sweeter twists). Allow them
to cool completely on wire racks, about 3 hours.