Churro

Achurro(Spanish pronunciation:[ˈtʃuro],Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈʃuʁu]) is a type offried doughfromSpanishandPortuguesecuisine, made withchoux pastrydoughpiped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape. They are also found inLatin American cuisine,Philippine cuisineand in other areas that have received immigration from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, especially inFranceand theSouthwestern United States.
InSpain, churros can either be thin (and sometimes knotted) or long and thick, where they are known asporras,jeringos, ortejeringosin some regions. They are normally eaten for breakfast dipped in coffee, or inhot chocolatefor an afternoon snack. There are also two slightly different snacks in Portugal, calledporraandfartura, which are filled with jelly instead of thedoce de leitetraditional toBrazilianchurros.
The origin of churros is unclear. But according to food historianMichael Krondl, "today's churro is not that different from a recipe for a flour and waterfritterthat you find inApicius, aRomancookbook dating from the 1st century AD. And there are recipes from theAncient Greeks, but it's probably even older than that. In theMediterranean basinit's basically been around forever".
But there are also other theories: one of them is that the churro was made by Spanishshepherdsto substitute for fresh baked goods. Churro paste was easy to make and fry in an open fire in the mountains, where shepherds spend most of their time,but the nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and the large quantities of oil or fat needed to fry churros make that unlikely.
Another theory, considered a hoax by some peoplesuggests the concept was brought toEuropefromChinaby thePortuguese.The Portuguese sailed for theOrient; as they returned fromMing-dynastyChina toPortugal, they brought along with them new culinary techniques.One included altering dough foryoutiao, also known asyóuzháguǐinsouthern China, which bears a resemblance to the churro.The new pastry was soon introduced to Spain, where it was modified to have the dough extruded through a star-shapednozzle(compare apiping bag) rather than pulled.
According to theDiccionario de la lengua española,churroisonomatopoeic, ultimately imitative of the sound of frying.
Churros are fried until they become crunchy, and may be sprinkled with sugar. The surface of a churro is ridged due to having been piped from a churrera, a syringe-like tool with a star-shaped nozzle. Churros are generallyprismsin shape, and may be straight, curled or spirally twisted.
Likepretzels, churros are sold by street vendors, who may fry them freshly on the street stand and sell them hot. In Spain and much of Latin America, churros are available in cafes forbreakfast, although they may be eaten throughout the day as a snack. Specializedchurrerías, in the form of a shop or a trailer, can be found during the holiday period. In addition, countries likeColombia,Peru,SpainandVenezuelahave churrerías throughout their streets. In Portugal, they are commonly eaten at carnivals, fairs and other celebrations, where they are made freshly at street stands.
The dough is a mixture of flour, water and salt. Some versions are made of potato dough. Depending on the recipe, it may not bevegan, as they can contain butter, milk or eggs.
InSeville(Andalusia), the name "calientes" (meaning hot) or "calentitos de rueda" is sometimes used instead of the wordchurro. These tend to refer to the thicker variant, calledporra. Calientes are usually fried in the shape of a continuous spiral and cut into portions afterwards. The center of the spiral is thicker and softer, and for many a delicacy in itself. The standard "churro" is also sold under the name "calentitos depapas", the name referring to the softermashed potato-like texture.
In parts of eastern Andalusia, a much thinner dough is used, which does not allow for the typical ridges to be formed on the surface of the churro. The final result therefore has a smooth surface, and is more pliable and of a slightly thinner diameter than standard Spanish churros. Another difference is that sugar is never sprinkled on them, because the flavour is not considered suitable.
Filled, straightchurrosare found in Cuba (with fruit, such asguava),Brazil(with chocolate,doce de leite, among others), and inArgentina,Bolivia,Peru,ChileandMexico(usually filled withdulce de lecheorcajetabut also with chocolate and vanilla).
In Colombia and Venezuela, churros are round like doughnuts sprinkled with sugar and filled withbocadillo(membrilloor guava paste),arequipeand sweetenedcondensed milk. In Spain, a considerably wider diameter is used to accommodate the filling. InUruguay, churros can also come in asavouryversion, filled with melted cheese.
In thePhilippines,churrosare typically straight, or bent into U-shapes or circular shapes dusted with white sugar and are popular during Christmas.
InThailand,churrosare commonly known asPatonggo Spain(Thai:ปาท่องโก๋สเปน, "Spanish deep-fried dough stick"), according to the type of fried dough that Thais are familiar with, namelyYoutiaoorPatonggoin vernacular.
Churros in Americantheme parksand street fairs are most often rolled incinnamon sugaror other flavored sugars.
In theMiddle East, a churro-like fried dough-based sweet is known asKarabeej Halab.
Youtiao, a traditional Chinese fried dough with a long history. It is well known in Thailand asPatonggo.
The Mexican sitcomEl Chavo del Ochofeatured a 3-episode saga in 1978 titledLa Venta de Churroswith churros as the main theme. The popularity of this saga has led people to frequently associate churros with the series to the point of even selling them using the characters' images to boost sales.