I am sure if you ask any Chinese person of their memories of You Tiao, a fried bread stick, which is crispy outside, hollow and soft inside, they will soon paint you a picture of standing at the street corner, in front of a stall, watching the breadstick puff and expand in the hot oil like magic, and the delicious smell waft up your nostril, and then come the bite into the You Tiao, it is warm, crispy and soft at the same time, what a treat!
Although the You Tiao themselves are lighted salted, there is this ongoing debate between the Northern and Southern Chinese, about what is the best way to enjoy them, Northerners often eat them with sweeten soya milk or other sweet porridge, whiles southerners tend to eat them with savoury rice porridge or soup.
if you want to imagine what they really taste like, just imagine biting into a very light and fluffy donut, slightly salted instead of sweet, freshly cooked in the hot oil.
They are on our January menu, So it is your chance to try them!