Why I can't get enough of this crisp Chinese dessert

My favourite dessert to make at home is sachima. A traditional sweet that combines fried strands of dough with syrup.

Strands of soft fried egg noodle puffs with nuts, seeds and dried fruits combined with syrup. Source: Getty Images

When my mum first gave me the Chinese sweet sachima to try, I thought the combination of fried noodles and sugar syrup was weird. But after just a few bites, I couldn't stop eating it. I became addicted and soon began making it at home and it has become the most popular dessert that I have to make at home. 

Sachima (also spelled saqima) is originally from Northern China. It's considered a dish of the Manchus, who are one of the 56 ethnic groups in China. They are known to have formed the Qing dynasty.

Sachima involves combining a dry noodle dough and sugar syrup, then forming the mixture into shapes. Some varieties also contain seeds, nuts and dried fruit. Different regions have their own specialties. Some regions cut the sweet into squares or rectangles. Others modify the syrup. There are also versions with sesame, berries and chopped dates.

Some people think this pastry is similar to the US' Rice Krispies Treats, except sachima contains a noodle-like dough instead of rice. This dough is fried before being tossed in sugar syrup and then pressed together.

The Cantonese take on sachima is sweeter than what you'll find in the north of China. It's also common to find sachima with raisins, dried fruit or even coconut in the south.

My Vietnamese colleague once told me that they also ate sachima in Vietnam. However, their version was not quite as sweet.

It has since become our number one homemade dessert.

You can find sachima in groceries stores. However, it's easier to find in stores throughout Chinatown. 

Even though there are plenty variations, one thing that stays the same is sachima's appearance. These pastries are known for their golden colour and come in a compact bar. They make a great gift for family and friends and are also perfect treats to pack for picnics or simply slide into lunchboxes.

After trying several sachima varieties, I've certainly landed on a recipe that I like best and suits my tastes. It's a straightforward recipe so that calls on a few pantry staples and you can experiment with them.

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Sachima

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

Dough

• 300 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• 50-60 ml water
• 150 g sugar or 150g condensed milk (if you choose condensed milk, you can use less water)
• 2 eggs

Syrup

• 150 g sugar
• 200 g maltose
• 40 ml water
• 30 g honey (optional if 150 g sugar is too sweet)
• 20 g butter
• 50 g raisin or sultanas (optional)

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
2. Add baking soda, eggs, salt and sugar or condensed milk. Knead evenly until smooth and rest for 30-60 minutes.
3. Sprinkle flour on a chopping board or kitchen bench, then place dough on top.
4. Roll the dough and cut into fine, finger-long-like noodles. Sprinkle flour on top to prevent the dough from sticking together.
5. Heat the pan with oil and fry the dough on medium heat until golden.
6. For the syrup, heat another pan with maltose and honey. Then add the sugar, butter and water. Stir until bubbling.
7. Continue to cook the syrup on medium heat for 3 minutes until it turns brown-yellow. Turn off heat and add the fried dough to the pan. Stir until the syrup appears brushed.
8. Sprinkle with raisins or chopped dry fruits. Wipe a thin layer of oil into a lined cake pan.
9. Add the mixture to the cake pan and gently compact it with a rolling pin or flat cooking spoon. Let it cool, then cut into squares or rectangles. 

Note: Sachima can be stored in a container for up to two weeks at room temperature.