Some people know it by its Mandarin name of “youtiao”. Cantonese speakers call it “yau char kwai” and in Malay, it’s simply “cakoi”.
Whatever it is called, there is no denying that this fried pastry is beloved by many as a teatime snack on their own or dunked in strong local coffee for breakfast.
They have a light, airy and chewy texture and they are often served with congee and bak kut teh, alongside the steaming bowls of broth.
Interestingly, yau char kway is not exclusive to Malaysia, it is found in China and other Southeast Asian countries.
The Cantonese yau char kwai literally translates into “oil-fried devil”, and this is not a random name. According to legend, the dish dates back to the Song Dynasty (960AD-1279).
In 1126, the Song were forced to relocate to southern China when the northern half was seized by the invading Jin Dynasty.
Leading the wars against the Jin was a general named Yue Fei, a patriot then and a folk hero today, who fought many successful campaigns.
He would not be defeated by the Jin, but by a colleague and political rival, an imperial minister named Qin Hui, who plotted his downfall. He had been taken captive by the Jin and escaped.
But the manner of his escape led some to believe that he was on the payroll of his former captors.
As Yue was planning to retake the fallen capital of Kaifeng, he received sudden orders to abandon his campaign and return to the capital.
There, Qin had Yue executed on unfounded charges of treason that were decried by the general’s subordinates and the public.
Enraged by the loss of their national hero, the common folk expressed their fury through defiant acts of protest.
In Hangzhou, a pastry hawker put two strips of dough together and fried them, saying they represented the treacherous Qin and his wife. This was the first time yau char kway was ever made.
Qin was not pleased with this representation of him and he confronted the hawker, only to be chased away by the angry crowd chanting that they wanted him to be boiled alive.
Though Qin managed to avoid punishment for his misdeeds during his lifetime, after his death, a statue of him was placed kneeling before Yue’s tomb.
Over the centuries, it would be subject to abuse by angry visitors and remains there today. The authorities constantly have to stop tourists from spitting on it.
So, the next time tasty yau char kway is on the menu, remember that this delicious pastry came about thanks to a heinous act of treachery.
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