Unless the recipe says to sift, it is usually wiser not to. Reason is because most modern baking recipes are based on the measured volume of the unsifted flour, partly because the flour sold today is not as compacted as it was in our grandparents' day. But even if the flour of yesteryear didn't need sifting for lightness, it probably would have been best to sift it anyway to remove insects and other impurities.
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Asian Recipes **
