Method
- Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Add the oil, milk, butter and egg. Mix until rough.
- Add warm water gradually, kneading 6 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a thick rope (about 3cm thick). Slice into 2cm pieces. Each piece will fry into a small cube.
- Heat oil in a deep pan to 170°C — a piece of dough should rise immediately.
- Fry the boortsog in batches for 3 minutes per batch, turning, until deeply golden and crisp. The dough should puff slightly during frying.
- Lift onto a rack to drain. Serve at room temperature with honey, condensed milk or jam for dipping. Boortsog keep 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Common questions
Can Boortsog be made ahead?
Boortsog is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 25 minutes.
Is Boortsog spicy?
Boortsog as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Boortsog vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is Boortsog to make at home?
Boortsog is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 55 minutes, no special technique required.
Can Boortsog be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 8 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Boortsog are the Mongolian celebration biscuits — at Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year) families build geometric stacks of boortsog as the centerpiece of the holiday table, the height representing prosperity. The dish has Central Asian origins; similar fried-dough biscuits exist in Kazakh (baursak) and Turkic cultures. Boortsog are also offered at Buddhist temples as part of food offerings. The dish travels well: Mongolian travellers and herders carry boortsog in saddle bags as portable food.
