Mix the base liquid: In a large, clean bowl, crack the egg, add the salt and sugar, then pour in the warm water. Stir thoroughly with chopsticks until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.

Knead the dough with crispy powder: Add the all-purpose flour and the entire pack of you tiao crispy powder to the liquid mixture. Stir with chopsticks to form flaky crumbs. Drizzle in 30g of cooking oil, then use your hands to fold, press, and knead the dough repeatedly – be patient here! Keep working until you get a smooth, elastic dough (this ensures good rising later).

Proof the dough at room temperature: Roll the dough into a log, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and let it proof at room temperature for 1 hour. Proofing relaxes the gluten, which helps the dough stretch easily and form those iconic hollow pockets when fried – don’t skip this step!

Shape and cut the dough: Dust your work surface with a little flour to prevent sticking. Take out the proofed dough, hold both ends, and gently stretch it. Use a rolling pin to flatten it into a uniform rectangular sheet. Cut the sheet into 2-finger-wide strips – try to keep them roughly the same size so they fry evenly.

Layer and press: Brush a thin layer of water on every other strip (the water helps the layers stick). Stack two strips together, then press firmly with a chopstick in the middle. This indentation keeps the dough from separating while frying and helps it puff up nicely.

Fry until golden crisp: Pour enough cooking oil into a deep pan and heat it to 180°C (350°F). Test the temperature by inserting a chopstick – if dense, tiny bubbles form around the chopstick, the oil is ready. Hold both ends of a dough strip, gently stretch it a little, then carefully lower it into the hot oil. Use chopsticks to flip and turn the dough constantly so it cooks evenly. Fry until it turns deep golden brown and the surface is crispy and puffy, then lift it out and drain excess oil on paper towels.