USE COCONUT OIL ONLY
According to Lee, the you tiao in Taiwan is lighter and airier, while local ones are denser. To achieve the same airy texture, a combination of flour is used for the dough.
“Most you tiao stalls in Singapore only use one type of flour, but I use three,” he revealed.
The oil also makes a difference. Despite its higher cost, he only uses refined coconut oil as it doesn’t oxidise easily. He also changes it every two hours to ensure his fritters taste fresh.
HIS STALL HAS ONE OF THE LONGEST QUEUES AT THE FOOD CENTRE
This is why his fried snacks are so popular. You Zha Kueh consistently boasts one of the longest queues at the bustling hawker centre and according to Lee, customers start streaming in as soon as he opens shop at 4.30am. Most of his customers are regulars and he gets a mix of elderly and young residents.
When 8days.sg visited the stall at 6am on a weekday, there was already a short line of around five people. It gets longer as time passes and by 11am, all the other varieties of snacks were sold out, leaving only you tiao.
A regular customer told us that the line gets crazier on Saturdays, stretching out of the food centre.