As much as we love savouring a crispy bite of churros, no one knows where this beloved deep-fried snack was born. Churros is a crispy deep-fried snack that can be found throughout the world. It is prepared out of dough that is shaped, rolled and fried until it turns crispy. Churros are generally dusted with sugar and dipped into a chocolate sauce before serving. They are quite easy to make, but have a hint of complexity in its history. However, isn't it interesting to discover the history of the food we eat? Getting to know about the history of our favourite dishes can help us connect more deeply to it. At the same time, it also helps build a better understanding of how a dish can be made with the use of traditional ingredients and cooking technique.
Tracing the history of churros:
A discussion on the history of churros always turns into a debate. The reason behind this is that the origin of churros is quite unclear and controversial. Some say it originated from Portugal and then spread to Spain, while others believe this crispy snack hailed from Spain before it ever came to the eyes of Portuguese people. Let’s understand both the sides.
One theory suggests that Portuguese were the actual founders of churros. It is suggested that churros were brought to Europe from China by the Portuguese. Wondering how China came into the picture? A story reveals that when the Portuguese sailed for the Orient, they brought a new culinary technique with them on their return from China. This method talked about altering the dough to make 'youtiao', which is a type of Chinese pasty. Youtiao bears a close resemblance to churros. With the help of this technique, churros were created and were later modified to have the dough extruded through a star-shaped nozzle rather than pulled.
Another theory suggests that the churro was made by Spanish shepherds to substitute for fresh baked goods. According to this, churro paste was easy to make and was fried in an open fire in the mountains where shepherds spend most of their time. In the end, no matter who invented churros, this snack has grown to become one of the most popular foods in the world.
Do you also want to try it? Check out the recipe for making this scrumptious snack in the comfort of your home.
