Dongbei Zha Xue Gao

Deep-fried ice cream on a stick is an unlikely street snack from northeastern China's night markets, where the theatrical contrast of crackling golden batter and still-frozen vanilla cream draws crowds until midnight. Vendors coat popsicles in a thin egg batter seasoned with a whisper of vanilla, then flash-fry for mere seconds to seal in the cold.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 vanilla ice cream bars (roughly 80ml / 2¾ fl oz each), fully frozen
• 120g (1 cup) plain flour
• 2 tbsp (16g) cornstarch
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• 2 tbsp (24g) sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 150ml (⅔ cup) cold sparkling water
• ½ tsp (2ml) vanilla extract
• Neutral oil for deep-frying (about 1 litre / 4 cups)
• Powdered sugar and red bean paste for serving

Instructions

1. Prepare ice cream bars the night before: make sure they are solid-frozen on their sticks. Return to freezer until the moment of frying.
2. Make batter just before frying: whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and sugar. Add egg, sparkling water, and vanilla; stir until a smooth, lightly thick batter forms. A few small lumps are fine. Refrigerate batter 10 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a deep heavy pot to 190°C (375°F). Test with a drop of batter — it should rise immediately and turn golden in about 20 seconds.
4. Working one at a time, dip a frozen bar into the batter, letting excess drip off, then lower carefully into the oil.
5. Fry exactly 15–20 seconds, turning once, until golden all over. Remove immediately and drain on a rack — do not use paper towels (they trap steam).
6. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a side of red bean paste for dipping. Eat within 60 seconds.

Cook's Notes: Speed is everything — have serving plates ready before you start frying. The oil temperature must be high; lower temperatures allow the ice cream to melt before the crust sets. Using sparkling water in the batter produces a lighter, crisper shell.