Abura-fu is made from a mixed powder of flour and wheat gluten. This powder mixture is kneaded with water, the resulting dough being cut and fried in oil.
Abura-fu has many air bubbles inside, while the outside becomes brown and hard after frying. We made six samples of
abura-fu in respective combinations of 6.5:3.5, 6:4, 5.5:4.5, 5:5, 4.5:5.5 and 4:6 of wheat starch versus wheat gluten. We measured the specific loaf volume and stress from a compressive load, and observed the section by scanning electron microscopy for each sample. The specific loaf volume of the sample which was rich in starch was low, while the stress value was high. In contrast, the stress value of the sample which was rich in gluten was low. The specific loaf volume of the sample containing equal gluten and starch was high. Wheat starch seemed to be responsible for the hardness of
abura-fu.
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