{"id":"recipe_7f92243983","slug":"soy-milk-and-fried-dough-sticks-doujiang-youtiao","title":"Soy Milk and Fried Dough Sticks (Doujiang Youtiao)","description":"The quintessential East Asian breakfast: warm, creamy homemade soy milk paired with golden, crispy, and airy deep-fried dough sticks.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":30,"cookMinutes":30,"totalMinutes":60,"activeMinutes":45},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"200g dried soybeans","name":"Soybeans","quantity":200,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"cup","form":"dried","notes":"yellow soybeans","group":"Soy Milk","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"1.5L water","name":"Water","quantity":1.5,"unit":"l","usQuantity":1.5,"usUnit":"quart","form":"filtered","notes":"for blending","group":"Soy Milk","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"300g all-purpose flour","name":"All-purpose flour","quantity":300,"unit":"g","usQuantity":"2 1/2","usUnit":"cup","form":"all-purpose","notes":"","group":"Fried Dough Sticks","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"180ml warm water","name":"Warm Water","quantity":180,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"3/4","usUnit":"cup","form":"warm","notes":"for dough","group":"Fried Dough Sticks","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"1 tsp instant yeast","name":"Instant Yeast","quantity":4,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tsp","form":"instant","notes":"","group":"Fried Dough Sticks","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"1/2 tsp baking soda","name":"Baking Soda","quantity":2,"unit":"g","usQuantity":"1/2","usUnit":"tsp","form":"powder","notes":"helps with browning","group":"Fried Dough Sticks","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"1/2 tsp salt","name":"Salt","quantity":3,"unit":"g","usQuantity":"1/2","usUnit":"tsp","form":"fine","notes":"","group":"Fried Dough Sticks","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-8","original":"500ml vegetable oil","name":"Vegetable Oil","quantity":500,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"2 1/8","usUnit":"cup","form":"liquid","notes":"for deep frying","group":"Fried Dough Sticks","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-9","original":"Sugar to taste","name":"Sugar","quantity":12,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"granulated","notes":"to taste","group":"Soy Milk","optional":true}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"Soak the dried soybeans in water overnight or for at least 8 hours until they have doubled in size.","group":"Soy Milk Preparation","title":"Soak the dried soybeans","timerMinutes":480,"sourceTitle":"Soy Milk Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"Drain the beans and rinse them. Place in a blender with 1.5 l (1.5 qt) of water. Blend until completely smooth.","group":"Soy Milk Preparation","title":"Drain the beans and rinse them","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Soy Milk Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth into a large pot, squeezing well to extract all the liquid.","group":"Soy Milk Preparation","title":"Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Soy Milk Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"Bring the soy milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to cook through. Stir in sugar to taste if desired.","group":"Soy Milk Preparation","title":"Bring the soy milk","timerMinutes":20,"sourceTitle":"Soy Milk Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"For the Youtiao, mix flour, yeast, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add warm water and knead into a smooth, slightly sticky dough.","group":"Dough Preparation","title":"For the Youtiao, mix flour, yeast, baking soda, and salt","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Dough Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for about 2 hours, or in the fridge overnight.","group":"Dough Preparation","title":"Cover the dough and let it rest","timerMinutes":120,"sourceTitle":"Dough Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-7","text":"On a floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into strips (1 inch wide). Stack two strips together and press the center lengthwise with a chopstick to join them.","group":"Shaping and Frying","title":"Roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/4 inch thick","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Shaping and Frying"},{"id":"instruction-8","text":"Heat oil to 375°F (190°C). Gently stretch the dough pairs and drop into the hot oil. Use chopsticks to flip them constantly so they expand and brown evenly. Fry until golden brown.","group":"Shaping and Frying","title":"Heat oil to 375°F","timerMinutes":5,"sourceTitle":"Shaping and Frying"}],"notes":"Soak the soybeans overnight for the smoothest milk. For the dough, resting is crucial for the gluten to relax, which allows the sticks to puff up properly in the oil.","cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Chinese"]},"course":["main"],"cookingMethod":["fry","boil"],"equipment":["Blender","Nut milk bag","Large pot","Wok or deep fryer","Chopsticks"],"diet":["vegan","vegetarian","dairy_free"],"allergens":["soy","wheat","gluten"],"difficulty":"medium","yield":{"amount":4,"unit":"servings","note":"1 bowl of milk and 2 dough sticks per person"},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"Soy milk can be made 3 days ahead. Dough can rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours before frying."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Store soy milk in a sealed container in the fridge. Dough sticks are best eaten fresh but can be reheated in an air fryer to restore crispiness.","reheatingNotes":"Reheat Youtiao in an air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for 2-3 minutes."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_7f92243983%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=15f1748c-3aa3-4c4a-8f91-ad9452a1ab94","imageAlt":"Soy Milk and Fried Dough Sticks (Doujiang Youtiao) — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["chinese breakfast","soy milk","fried dough","street food","traditional","vegan friendly"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Soy Milk and Fried Dough Sticks (Doujiang Youtiao)","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T18:55:18.797Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T18:55:18.797Z","related":[{"id":"recipe_5bd7d18ba8","slug":"cantonese-steamed-rice-noodle-rolls-cheung-fun","title":"Cantonese Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls (Cheung Fun)","description":"A silky, smooth, and translucent Cantonese dim sum classic. These rice noodle rolls are steamed to perfection and typically filled with succulent shrimp or savory pork, then finished with a sweetened soy sauce.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":15,"totalMinutes":30,"activeMinutes":25},"cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Cantonese"]},"course":["main"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["dairy_free","egg_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_5bd7d18ba8%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=95ae143d-b901-4366-9657-7aa0c5bdad41","imageAlt":"Cantonese Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls (Cheung Fun) — recipe cover","tags":["dim sum","cantonese","rice noodles","steamed","shrimp","chinese breakfast"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":9,"stepCount":6},{"id":"recipe_8c98f14ca2","slug":"classic-fried-rice-chaofan","title":"Classic Fried Rice (Chǎofàn)","description":"A quick, savory, and satisfying East Asian staple featuring fluffy rice stir-fried with eggs, crisp vegetables, and a touch of soy sauce.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":10,"totalMinutes":20,"activeMinutes":20},"cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Chinese"]},"course":["main","side"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian","nut_free","high_protein"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_8c98f14ca2%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=a9bd1aca-9eb5-41e5-8730-eac0148bdba5","imageAlt":"Classic Fried Rice (Chǎofàn) — recipe cover","tags":["fried-rice","quick","easy","leftover-rice","chinese-cuisine"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":9,"stepCount":6},{"id":"recipe_7d0223495d","slug":"classic-japanese-udon-soup","title":"Classic Japanese Udon Soup","description":"A comforting, traditional East Asian noodle soup featuring thick, chewy udon noodles in a delicate, savory dashi broth.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":5,"cookMinutes":15,"totalMinutes":20,"activeMinutes":10},"cuisine":{"group":"East Asian","specific":["Japanese"]},"course":["main"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["dairy_free","low_fat"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_7d0223495d%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=b95b3407-aaaf-4a90-8153-c9dccf8a4049","imageAlt":"Classic Japanese Udon Soup — recipe cover","tags":["udon","noodles","soup","quick","comfort food","japanese"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":7,"stepCount":5}]}