Jinxian Youta (Golden Thread Oil Tower)
A traditional Shaanxi delicacy, these steamed oil towers feature silky thin layers resembling golden threads, soft and rich in flavor. Best served with garlic vinegar dip.
Ingredients
6 items- All-purpose flour 300g
- Lard 60g
- Active dry yeast 3g
- Warm water 180ml
- Salt 2g
- Five-spice powder 1g
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Mix flour with yeast; gradually add warm water and knead into a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes until doubled in size and honeycombed inside.
Combine softened lard with a little flour and five-spice powder, stirring into a smooth oil paste.
Roll the dough into a thin rectangle about 30×40 cm, spread the lard paste evenly over the surface.
Roll up tightly from the wide side, pinch the seam to seal, then cut into 8 equal pieces.
Take one piece, gently stretch to 20 cm, twist 2–3 turns, then coil around your finger into a pagoda shape, tucking the end underneath.
Place all pagodas in a steamer basket, cover, and proof for 20 minutes until they puff up significantly.
Bring the steamer water to a boil, place the basket over boiling water, and steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, let rest for 2 minutes before opening lid.
Remove the towers from steamer while hot, gently shake them apart with chopsticks to form threads, and serve immediately.
Tips
Lard is essential for flaky layers; do not skip the second proofing as it guarantees lightness; loosening the layers while still hot is key to achieving the thread-like effect.
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