Crispy Chinese Crullers (You Tiau- dau chao quay)

These crispy bread sticks are deep-fried in hot oil and accompanied with rice soup in the Chinese cuisine and are always a part of the dim sum brunch. The bread sticks could be rolled in cinnamon-sugar right after they come out from the hot oil. They will taste similar to Mexican Churros.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups oil for frying
Liquids:
1/2 tsp alum
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz. water

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the liquids ingredients until dissolved.

Add flour and mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Remove dough from the bowl and start kneading. Use the heal of your palm to knead the dough until smooth and elastic.

Coat dough with some oil so that dough will stay moist. Let dough stand for 1 hour.

Remove dough and roll into a 14" x 5" rectangle. Coat each side with 1/2 tsp vegetable shortening and wrap with plastic wrap. Let it stand for 4 hours.

Unwrap dough and cut into 5-inch long x 1-inch wide strips.

Place one strip on top of a second strip. Use a chopstick, a skewer, or the back of a clever to press down lengthwise on the center of the top strip to attach it securely to the bottom strip. Follow the same procedure for the rest of the dough strips.

Heat oil to 350 °. Pick up each newly formed 5 inch strip by the ends and gently stretch it to a 7 or 8 inch length.

 Carefully drop each strip into the hot oil and turned over continuously with chopsticks until the cruller expands and turns golden brown.

Remove and enjoy