Yau Char Kwai
The name of this beloved breakfast, teatime (or anytime) deep-fried snack in Malaysia, Singapore and China actually translates to 'oil-fried devils'. If you've ever wondered why that's so, the woeful tale behind it actually dates back to the Song Dynasty, when a general named Yue Fei fought against the invading Jin Dynasty. Considered a patriot by the people, Yue Fei was ultimately executed by his political rival, an imperial minister named Qin Hui.
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At the news of Yue Fei's execution, a pastry cook in Hangzhou placed two strips of dough together and deep-fried them as a symbol of the treacherous Qin Hui and his wife: two 'devils' frying in boiling hot oil. We'll be honest: the story does little to dampen our cravings for this highly addictive pastry.