Youtiao

Pound ten grams of dried cuttlefish bone with the water for about a minute, then pour through a tofu cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Add the baking powder, baking soda, chofan, egg white and salt to the bone water and mix well.

Sift in the flour, combine well, and knead about five minutes until it comes together and no longer sticks to your hands.

Cover with a damp towel and rest one hour.

Oil a smooth surface and rub oil all over the dough. Shape into a log, slice the log in half, press down, and roll out to a thin sheet about two millimetres thick.

Slice the sheet in half and cut into strips roughly two centimetres wide, stack the pieces in pairs, cover with a damp towel and relax ten minutes.

Heat a pot of oil to 180 centigrade.

Press down the centre of each stacked pair with a chopstick, lightly press the edges, and press and shape the ends into a fan with your thumbs.

Pull the piece longer, pull it a touch longer again over the wok, and drop it into the oil.

Failure recorded on camera: a first batch would not puff because the dough had dried out working outdoors on a windy day; a hotter oil did not help and a fresh batch was made indoors.

Fry at 180 centigrade without flipping until nice and puffed, about 30 seconds, then about 15 seconds on the other side, then flip continuously 15 to 30 seconds more until browned to your liking.

Straighten any curving within the first three seconds of cooking.

Eat immediately from the fryer; after ten minutes they soften and become chewy.