In our childhood memories, we all loved to eat spicy strips that cost just a few cents a pack. Even now, the memory is unforgettable, and I still occasionally order a bunch online to eat at home. My child at home has also gradually picked up this hobby.
However, after seeing the terrifying production process of spicy strips exposed online recently, it really scared me. I never realized how dirty those spicy strips were. It's one thing for me to eat them, but my child loves them so much. Eating too many is not good, so what should I do?
Moms, don't worry. When you have free time, just make your own spicy strips at home. They are perfectly hygienic, taste even better, and your baby will love them so much they'll forget about the store-bought ones.
Spicy Strips
« Also known as Spicy Threads »
They are mostly made from processed soybean skin or yuba (dried tofu skin), then marinated with ingredients like chili powder and food coloring. They are delicious and make you want another one after eating just one.
To achieve a better texture and color, most commercially sold spicy strips use a large amount of additives. Although these additives may be within the national standards for safety, children, because they love the taste, might eat several packs at once. This leads to an excessive intake of additives, which can harm a child's healthy development, easily causing problems like poor appetite, low immunity, and pica. In severe cases, it can also affect the reproductive abilities of young boys. Today, I'll teach moms how to make hygienic and delicious spicy strips at home.
Ingredients: Soybeans, dried chilies, chili powder, Sichuan peppercorns, cassia bark, star anise, sugar, salt, cooking wine, chili powder
1. Soak the beans. Soybeans need to be soaked for 8-10 hours. Wash them and drain the water. Half a pound of dry soybeans will yield about a pound of soaked soybeans.
2. Make the slurry. Grind the soaked soybeans in a blender to make soy milk. The ratio of water to soybeans should be a bit thicker than the soy milk you normally drink. Blend for 1 minute to get a smooth soy milk slurry.
3. Filter. Pour the slurry into a cloth bag and squeeze out the soy milk to remove the okara (soy pulp).
4. Pour the filtered soy milk into a pot and heat it to a boil for 5 minutes, but do not re-boil it multiple times.
5. Pour the boiled soy milk into a clean stainless steel basin or tray. Place this basin over another pot with water, and heat it gently over a water bath until the water is slightly simmering.
6. As it heats, a layer of skin will form on the surface of the soy milk. This is the yuba skin.
7. Use chopsticks to lift the skin from both sides.
8. Lift the chopsticks up, and the yuba skin will come out.
9. Hang it on a wire rack to air-dry.
10. After air-drying for about 5 minutes, it becomes dried yuba.
11. Blanch the yuba skin in boiling water. Heat up a wok with oil, and deep-fry the yuba skin until it's golden brown, then remove it.
12. First, briefly stir-fry some minced ginger in the oil. Then, add dried chilies, chili powder, Sichuan peppercorns, cassia bark, star anise, and sugar and stir-fry until the aroma is released. Add soy sauce and a small bowl of water and bring to a boil.
13. Add the yuba skin, season with salt and cooking wine, and simmer until it's well-infused with the flavor. Sprinkle with more chili powder, then remove from the heat.
And there you have it! Homemade yuba spicy strips are born! They are incredibly delicious! Moms, have you learned how? Hurry up and learn to make them for your little ones.
Spicy strips are delicious, but don't overindulge!
Don't eat spicy strips on an empty stomach. For people with a weaker digestive system, eating spicy strips on an empty stomach can easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort, and even lead to stomach cramps and diarrhea. It's recommended to eat spicy strips during or after a meal.
When eating store-bought spicy strips, it's a good idea to blot some of the oil off. Before eating, don't just tear open the package and start. Use an oil-absorbing paper to blot away some of the chili oil first. This is healthier.
Don't gulp down cold water after eating spicy strips. If you feel thirsty and dry after eating and chug water, it can easily cause diarrhea. Therefore, even though they are delicious, don't eat too many spicy strips at once.
If you eat too many and get diarrhea, drink some warm water to help cleanse your system. If you've already eaten too many and are experiencing diarrhea, drink some warm water. Don't drink too much; a moderate amount will help flush out toxins and waste from your body.