Twisted doughnuts are yeast donuts or sticks of pastry made from wheat flour or glutinous rice flour, deep-fried in oil. In China, they are known as (); in Korea, they are known as (), in the Philippines, they are known as or (depending on how it is made), and in Japan, they are known as ().
Around the world
China
In Mainland China and Taiwan, twisted doughnuts known as mahua () are traditional fried desserts with regional variations. The main ingredients consist of flour, sugar and cooking oil, though salt, honey, nuts and other spices can be added as well. Once twisted into a braided shape, the dough is then fried in peanut oil. The two predominant variants are crispy-outside-fluffy-inside or completely crunchy. The original form was invented in the city of Tianjin and dates back millennia.
Italy In Italy it is known as treccia, sometimes filled with pastry cream and covered with sugar, chocolate and other products.
Jamaica In Jamaica, twist donuts were introduced to the island in the 1800s, by Chinese indentured labourers who also brought fried dough.Lee, Easton. "Jamaican culture: the Chinese connection." Jamaica Observer 31 May 1997 They are sold in local bakeries, supermarkets, schools and in boxes by street vendors. Traditionally, most Jamaican bakeries were operated by Chinese Jamaicans of Hakka or Cantonese ancestry, who developed local pastries and breads. They are eaten as a snack or on-the-go lunch, sometimes accompanied with cheese. Twist donuts are usually covered with sugar, sweet glaze (vanilla or honey), cinnamon sugar, chocolate and other local toppings like coconut flakes.
Japan Sakubei (索餅/さくべい), derived from the Tang dynasty of China to the Nara period in Japan was transmitted to the Tang confectionery one of noodles that of food, which is also said to have become the father of udon and somen, than rope-like shape also called muginawa (牟義縄). It is said that it disappeared in the middle of the Edo period, but it still exists in various places such as Nara, changing into shinko sweets (shinko, shinko dumplings, shinko mochi) (* However, it is now called shinko mochi). Most of them are made using Joshinko instead of wheat flour).
Korea
Twisted doughnuts are known as kkwabaegi () in Korean. The mildly sweet, fluffy, spongy, twisted doughnuts are made with yeasted wheat or glutinous rice flour dough and melted butter. They are deep-fried in oil and coated with sugar and cinnamon powder. It is often an after-school snack.
Philippines
Shakoy or siyakoy from the Visayas Islands (also known as lubid-lubid in the northern Philippines) uses a length of dough twisted into a distinctive rope-like shape before being fried. The preparation is almost exactly the same as doughnuts, though there are variants made from glutinous rice flour. The texture can range from soft and fluffy to sticky and chewy. Hard and crunchy versions are known as pilipit. They are sprinkled with white sugar, but can also be topped with sesame seeds or caramelized sugar.
Vietnam In Vietnam, it has a variety of names such as , ('twisted-rope doughnut'), ('twisted doughnut'), ('oar rope doughnut'), ('sweet twisted doughnut').
See also Chapssal doughnut List of doughnut varieties List of fried dough foods Cruller
References
Further reading