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Sachima

Sachima Chinese fried egg noodle candy bars on a board studded with raisins and sesame
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Sachima is a chewy Chinese fried egg noodle candy bound with maltose syrup and studded with raisins and sesame seeds. Crisp at the edges, chewy in the middle, and so much better fresh.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Fried Noodles

  • 300 g cake flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • Neutral oil for deep frying (about 1.5 L)

Syrup Binder

  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 60 g maltose
  • 30 ml corn syrup or golden syrup
  • 80 ml water
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt

Mix Ins

  • 40 g raisins
  • 30 g roasted white sesame seeds
  • 30 g toasted sunflower seeds or chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sift the cake flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the eggs and knead by hand until a stiff, smooth dough forms, about 3 minutes. If it is too dry to come together, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  2. Line an 8 inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment, leaving a 5 cm overhang on two opposite sides so you can lift the slab out later.
  3. Divide the rested dough into 4 pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a very thin sheet about 2 mm thick, dusting generously with cake flour on both sides.
  4. Fold each sheet loosely in half twice, then slice crosswise into thin strips 2 to 3 mm wide. Unfold and separate the strands, toss in more cake flour, then shake off the excess through a sieve. The strands must be dry and separate, not clumped.
  5. Heat the oil in a wok or deep pot to 175°C (350°F). Test with a single strand: it should puff and float within 5 seconds without browning too fast.
  6. Fry the noodles in small batches for 20 to 30 seconds each, until pale gold and puffed. Do not let them brown or the finished bars will taste burnt. Lift out with a spider skimmer and drain on paper towels. Reserve all the fried noodles in a large heatproof bowl.
  7. Set the mix in bowl and the lined pan right next to the stove. The next steps move fast.
  8. Combine the sugar, maltose, corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then stop stirring. Cook until the syrup reaches 118°C (245°F) on a candy thermometer, the soft ball stage, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  9. Take the syrup off the heat and immediately stir in the raisins, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds if using.
  10. Pour the hot syrup over the fried noodles. Working fast with a heat safe spatula, toss until every strand is coated. You have about 60 to 90 seconds before the syrup starts to set.
  11. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Using the parchment and a lightly oiled flat bottomed glass, press it into a tight, even slab about 3 cm thick. Press hard so the noodles fuse and the bars hold together when sliced.
  12. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, until firm to the touch.
  13. Lift out using the parchment. With a sharp serrated knife dipped in hot water and wiped between cuts, slice into 16 rectangles in a 4 by 4 grid.

Notes

  • The syrup temperature is the most important variable. Below 115°C the bars fall apart, above 122°C they shatter like brittle. A candy thermometer is worth it here.
  • Maltose gives sachima its signature chewy pull. Look for it in Chinese grocery stores in glass jars labeled 麦芽糖. If you cannot find it, use 30 g honey plus 30 g extra corn syrup for a slightly less chewy result.
  • Keep the fried noodles pale gold, never deep brown. Over browning leaves a burnt taste that no amount of syrup can cover.
  • Do not stir the syrup once it boils. Stirring encourages crystals and turns it grainy. Just watch the thermometer.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate, since humidity softens the fried noodles. Layer between parchment so the bars do not stick.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://zhangcatherine.com/sachima/