Cantonese Deep-Fried Milk (Zha Xian Nai)
Shunde, Guangdong Province — Cantonese dairy cooking tradition
Zha xian nai (炸鲜奶) — deep-fried fresh milk — is a surprising Cantonese dessert and dim sum item: fresh milk is thickened with cornstarch and egg white, set in a flat tray until firm, cut into rectangles, coated in egg white and breadcrumb, then deep-fried until golden. The exterior is crispy; the interior melts as a warm milky custard. A delicate contrast between textures.