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Fried dough takes many shapes and forms, depending on the country it's made in. Variations include doughnuts, crullers, beignets, churros, yau ja gwai, fritters and funnel cakes. Its universal appeal derives from it being delicious; quick to make; and the fact that it doesn't require any unwieldy kitchen equipment.

Whatever its name, making the perfect fried dough is not as easy as it seems. Most crucial is the temperature of the oil: if it's too hot, the dough will brown too fast on the outside while the interior remains uncooked; if it's too cold, the dough will absorb oil and become heavy and greasy.

Fried American-style doughnuts can be coated with all types of things, such as colourful sprinkles, chocolate, sugar glaze, icing and granulated or cinnamon sugar; and topped or filled with jam, fresh or cooked fruit and custard or chocolate cream. Some doughnuts are baked but they lack the satisfying greasiness of the fried versions.

Fried dough is usually eaten for breakfast or as a snack and is often considered junk food. Yau ja gwai gets its unusual crisp-chewy texture from baking ammonia. It's often eaten as an accompaniment to a bowl of congee or soup (in Vietnam it's sometimes served with pho noodles); in Hong Kong yau ja gwai is rolled in steamed rice- flour sheets and served with hoisin, sesame and chilli sauces, or wrapped with glutinous rice (usually with pork floss). In Taiwan, it's stuffed into shao bing (sesame-bread pockets) and eaten with savoury soy milk, which makes a hearty and delicious breakfast.

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