Latiao (Chinese spicy strips snack)

Step 1

Add salt and water into a large mixing bowl, stir until the salt is dissolved. Add vital wheat gluten flour, stir and knead with clean hands for about 5 minutes until you shape the mixture into a dough.

Step 2

Squeeze out excess water from the dough, then empty the water from the bowl. Continue kneading and squeezing until no further water can be extracted from the dough.

Step 3

Position the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic food wrap, and allow it to rest on your countertop for 30 minutes to develop the gluten.

Step 4

After 30 minutes, transfer the dough onto a nonstick silicone pastry mat. Use your hands to stretch and flatten the dough into a thin sheet. (I found that using your hands is easier than using a rolling pin.)

Step 5

Use a dough scraper/cutter to cut the dough sheet into 1-inch-wide strips. Use your hands to pull each strip into a ½-inch-wide, long strip (like a noodle shape).

Step 6

Hold one end of a strip with your fingers and secure it to the tip of a bamboo skewer. Proceed to wrap the strip around the skewer, starting from the base and moving towards the end. Cut off any excess strip at the end. (Ensure a tight wrap without leaving gaps between rounds; a single layer is enough, otherwise the latiao will be too thick for proper seasoning.)

Step 7

Brush each latiao with a thin layer of vegetable oil to avoid stickiness. Arrange them on a steamer, ensuring they are in a single layer without touching. Pour boiling water into the steamer and steam the latiaos over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes.

Step 8

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat until it's hot but not smoking. Add wedged onion, green onions, and slices garlic to the hot oil. Let the ingredients sizzle for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 9

Once the edge of the garlics turns light brown, optionally add lanxangia tsaoko, bay leaves, star anises, Sichuan peppercorns, and cumin seeds to the oil. Let the ingredients sizzle and infuse into the oil for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat to prevent burning.

Step 10

Reduce heat to low, carefully use a fine-mesh skimmer to remove all the ingredients from the hot oil.

Step 11

Add all the powder seasonings into the hot oil, quickly stir well to combine. Turn off the heat and set it aside.

Step 12

Once the latiao is cooked, take them out of the steamer. Allow them to cool until they are not too hot to handle, then use your fingers to gently push the latiao down and remove them from the bamboo skewers.

Step 13

Coat the latiao with the prepared spicy sauce, ensuring each strip is well coated.

Step 14

You can enjoy them immediately, or arrange the coated latiao on a cooling rack and air-dry them for a few hours to develop a chewier texture. Store any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.