Sachima (Ma Jai) 馬仔

Sachima, also known as Ma Jai, is a sweet pastry popular in Cantonese cuisine. It's made from strips of fried dough, bound together with a sugary syrup, and often garnished with sesame seeds or raisins. It has a soft, chewy texture and a delightful sweetness.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 300g all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 5g baking powder
• 2g salt
• 20ml water
• 500ml vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 150g granulated sugar
• 100g maltose
• 50ml water, for syrup
• 20g unsalted butter
• 10g toasted white sesame seeds
• 20g raisins

Steps

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add the large eggs and water to the dry ingredients. Knead the mixture until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
3. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the rested dough into a very thin sheet, about 1-2mm thick.
5. Cut the dough sheet into thin strips, about 0.5 cm wide and 5 cm long.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or wok to 160-170°C (320-340°F).
7. Fry the dough strips in batches until they are puffy and golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pot.
8. Remove the fried strips with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.
9. In a separate pot, combine the granulated sugar, maltose, water for syrup, and unsalted butter.
10. Heat the syrup mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a thick, sticky consistency (around 115-120°C or soft-ball stage).
11. Immediately add the fried dough strips, toasted white sesame seeds, and raisins to the hot syrup. Mix quickly and thoroughly until all strips are evenly coated.
12. Transfer the mixture into a greased rectangular mold or baking pan. Press it down firmly and evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
13. Let the Sachima cool completely at room temperature, then unmold and cut into individual serving pieces.

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