Deep Fried Bread Sticks-Banh gio chao quay

Make 14-15 paired bread sticks (8-in/20 cm long)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and extra for rolling
3 and 1/2 tsp. Baking powder (I used double acting aluminum free Rumford )
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbs vegetable oil and extra for deep fried 2 to 4 cups at least

1. In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients together, then take 1/4  cup of flour mixture set aside. Add oil and milk to the remaining flour mixture.  Use a wooden spoon, chopsticks or spatula mix well and make a soft dough. The dough will be sticky at first but will form a ball detached from the bowl wall soon. If it is too sticky, add a little flour; if too dry, add a little bit milk.  Remember it has to be a soft dough.  
2. Knead the dough with lightly floured or oil hands (use the palms) until smooth and elastic about 5 minutes. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour.
3. After the dough rested for an hour, knead the dough for 10 more minutes.  This second knead help me to achieve the crunchy outer layer but you can omit it. The dough can be shaped and fried now but it is better after resting overnight in the fridge with a plastic cover. 
4. The next day, take the dough out and let it come down to room temperature about 1 hour.
5. Put it on a slightly floured or oiled surface.  Roll the dough into about 1/4-in (0.5 cm) thick and 4-in (10 cm)wide rectangle. May make 2 or 4 rectangles depending on your working area. Then use a knife or pizza cutter cut each piece in rectangle strips approx 1 in(2 cm) wide and 4 in (10 cm) long. Make sure each strips separated with each other and not got stuck with the surface. Cover with plastic wraps.
6. Heating oil (at least 1 in deep) in a large wok, deep skillet, deep pot, or electric deep fryer over medium high heat. until 375 oF or testing by dropping a piece of dough. If it is floating right way, the oil is ready. 
7. Brush 1 strip with water lightly and put another strip atop.  Press them together very gently and use a chopstick or barbecue stick press down in the middle lengthwise.  Do not skip this step because it forms the shape of Gio Chau Quay.  
8. Pick both strips up at the same time near the ends with your hands and stretch them out a little longer in the air but still fit in your frying pan before carefully drop them in the hot oil.  They will be shrunk a little bit lengthwise but expand crosswise. Deep fry a few minutes until the underneath light golden brown, flip to the other side.  Take them out drain over cooking rack.  If the oil too hot turn the heat down to medium.  The bread stick will be crisper with darker brown.
9. Serve warm or room temperature as snack or breakfast with coffee or milk or best with rice soup.  Pick one pair and separate them by hand, then dip it into coffee or milk. You may cut them in small pieces and put into soup.

*Note:
   Some recipes use  both yeast and baking powder and some use alum "phen chua", ammonia baking powder "bot khai" and claim achieving the authentic flavor of Banh Gio Chao Quay but I am happy with this simple recipe so did not try and won't use extra stuff for this.
    If you use the right temperature, the bread sticks won't absorb much oil.  If you are not get use to deep frying, get a cheap candy thermometer at grocery stores about $7.00.  The temperature tends to going up during frying process and need to low down a little bit to prevent the bread sticks got brown too quick.
  Check here, here and here for more recipes and instructions from Pro.