Food Trivia Question from the Oriental Oasis Newsletter
TRIVIA QUESTION: I am a popular breakfast food, frequently found at hawker stands in China. One of my names is derived from a political event that took place in the twelfth century, when Northern China was overrun by Juchen nomads and the Chinese dynasty was reestablished in the south. Disagreement over how to prosecute the war led to the imprisonment of Yueh Fei, who wanted to recover the lost territory in northern China. My other name comes from the Dutch for "twisted cake" and refers to my shape. What am I?
TRIVIA ANSWER: Crullers or Deep-fried devils. "Deep-fried
devil" is said to be a reference to Ch'in Kuei, the minister who wanted to end the
war and had Yueh Fei imprisoned. In recent years Yueh Fei has come to be viewed as a
national hero, while Ch'in Kuei is considered a traitor. The Chinese name for this dish,
"Yu Za Kuei" or "Yao Ja Guai," literally means deep-fried devils.
Crullers comes from "krulle," the Dutch word for twisted cake.
Recipes:
Deep-fried Devils
For more information on Chinese breakfasts, see my article. Includes several photographs.
