Kitchen Recipe Collection
Fried Dough Twist (Mahua)
A very traditional, crunchy, deeply fried dough snack twisted into a beautiful braid. Famous in Tianjin, it can be made sweet with sugar and sesame, or savory with five-spice.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 8 servings
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar (for sweet version) OR 1 tbsp salt + 1 tsp five-spice (for savory)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (mixed into the dough)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- Oil for deep frying
Equipment
- Wok for frying
- Rolling pin
Instructions
- 1
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar (or salt/spice), baking powder, and sesame seeds.
- 2
Form Dough
Add the eggs, water, and 2 tbsp of oil. Knead into a smooth, slightly stiff dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Roll Out
Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
- 4
Cut Strips
Use a knife to cut the dough into thin strips, about 1/2 inch wide and 8 inches long.
- 5
First Twist
Take one strip. Roll it on the counter with your hands moving in opposite directions to twist it like a rope.
- 6
Fold and Twist
Pick it up by the ends; it will naturally twist around itself into a two-strand braid. Pinch the ends.
- 7
Double Twist (Optional)
For the traditional thick Mahua, twist the two-strand braid again and fold it in half so it forms a dense, four-strand rope. Pinch the ends tightly so they don't unravel.
- 8
Heat Oil
Heat oil in a wok to 325°F (160°C). The temperature must be relatively low so they cook all the way through before burning.
- 9
Fry
Drop the twists into the oil. Fry slowly for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently.
- 10
Crisp
Fry until they are a deep, rich golden brown.
- 11
Drain
Remove and drain on paper towels.
- 12
Cool
Let them cool completely before eating. They must cool down to achieve their signature rock-hard, crunchy texture.
Cooking Tips
- The dough must be fairly stiff to hold the beautiful braided shape during frying.
- In Tianjin, massive Mahua the size of a baseball bat are sold and broken into pieces to eat.
Variations
- Soft Mahua: Made with yeast dough instead of baking powder, resulting in a soft, donut-like texture rather than a hard crunch.
Nutrition Estimate
280 calories · 6g protein · 40g carbs · 10g fat · 1g fiber per serving
