Deep-Fried Devil Rolls (Ja Leung)

Deep-Fried Devil Rolls (Ja Leung)
Fried bread sticks wrapped in rice noodle sheets.

Recipe for Rice Noodles from Rhoda Yee’s Dim Sum.

Makes: 10 rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups Swans Down cake flour (no substitution)
¼ cup wheatstarch (or cornstarch)
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 2/3 cups cold water
10 fried bread sticks (a.k.a. “deep-fried devils,” or yao ja guai) *

* You can purchase these in dim sum shops or Chinese bakeries. They come in 2 sticks that are stuck together.

Preparation:

1. Mix the above in order given (minus the bread sticks). Make sure the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Ladle 1/3 cup into an oiled 9-inch cake pan. Steam for 5 minutes. Cool. Roll up jelly roll style to remove from pan. Wipe pan clean, oil again and repeat until all the batter is used. (Be sure to wipe the pans completely dry and re-oil each time or the batter will not roll off as easily). The steamed dough is now ready to be used in rolling up the bread sticks.

2. Heat up the bread sticks in the oven until they are warm and crispy.

3. Place a sheet of the rice noodle on a cutting board. Place a bread stick on top and roll up tightly.

4. Cut the roll into 1-inch thick pieces. Serve immediately with dark soy sauce sweetened with a spoonful of sugar.

Do-ahead Notes: Rice noodles can be made ahead and kept at room temperature for 24 hours.