Fried dough sticks as never before: mochi coverings and savory fillings

2022-08-16

The fried dough stick or youtiao is Taiwan’s most ubiquitous snack. Available on almost every street corner, most chefs would say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But tonight we pop into some dough stick stores where they can’t help but play with the recipe. Kaohsiung chef Wang Nan-tsan sells his dough sticks in a special style he discovered in China. And if you think dough sticks are only paired with soy milk or spicy soup, you’ve got surprises in store in Nantou.

A golden dough stick emerges from the fryer but it’s not ready to serve just yet.

The sticks are laid flat and covered in freshly made mochi, then sprinkled with flavorings like the sweet classic combo of sesame and peanut, or the more daring options: tuna and corn or smoked chicken. This creative menu will inspire the most jaded diner.

Wang Nan-tsan
Fried dough stick chef
Our dough sticks and mochi are all made with fresh milk, so they’re not crispy but melt in the mouth.

Everything is made from scratch, from the dough to the toppings. The mochi is steamed in an electric steamer. Every day, diners in Fengshan District vie to get hold of the limited supply. The unique combination of dough stick and mochi was an idea the chef picked up years ago while working in China.

Wang Nan-tsan
Fried dough stick chef
My parents came to visit me there one year. I bought it for them and they loved it. I realized nobody was selling it in Taiwan so that’s why I thought I’d start my own business and give it a try.

But that’s not the only iconoclastic dough stick innovation available. These special dough stick sandwiches are turning heads in Nantou’s Puli Township.

The sticks have a subtle hint of onion. Cut them open to reveal eggs, chicken or tuna fillings. Dough sticks almost never contain surprises inside, and these special sticks are a big hit. If you enjoy a dough stick with soy milk or spicy soup, why not branch out next time and see if you don’t find your new favorite flavor?

油條不只配豆漿！結合Q彈麻糬吃了會上癮

2022-08-16

一般吃油條，不是搭配豆漿，就是丟進麻辣鍋。其實油條吃法百變，在高雄就有店家引進中國的獨特吃法，將油條結合麻糬，吸引不少顧客來嚐鮮。老闆特別改良，將牛奶加入麵團製作。淡淡奶香味的鬆軟油條，加上Q彈麻糬，還有花生芝麻或鮪魚玉米等甜鹹口味。

炸得金黃香酥的油條，熱呼呼剛起鍋，但這樣還不會送上桌。

油條攤平，加上現蒸的麻糬，接下來就是各種口味，除了有撒上芝麻、花生的甜口味基本款，還可以加上鮪魚玉米或是煙燻雞肉等，創意吃法，吸引民眾來嚐鮮。

[[油條創意美食老闆王南讚]]
“我們油條跟麻糬就是全部用鮮奶製作，所以它的口感不是酥脆的，是鬆軟的。”

從和麵團開始就親力親為，麻糬也是老闆用電鍋現蒸，每天在高雄鳳山限量供應，特殊的油條包麻糬其實是老闆早年在中國工作時，吃到的獨特口味。

[[油條創意美食老闆王南讚]]
“有一年我爸媽去那邊找我，我買給他們吃，他們很喜歡吃，就想說這個東西台灣沒有在賣，才想說來創業看看。”

顛覆傳統的還不只這裡，在南投的埔里山城也有特殊的油條三明治。

散發淡淡蔥香氣的鹹油條，剖開加入荷包蛋或雞肉及鮪魚等，油條加料的獨特吃法受到歡迎。油條不只是豆漿或麻辣火鍋的好伴侶，發揮創意，也能從配角變主角。