Apam balik

Apam balik
أڤم باليق‎‎‎
	A giant apam balik variation
Alternative names	Ban Jian Kuih (Tâi-lô: bàn-tsian-kué), Chin Loong Pau, Min Chiang Kueh, Martabak Manis, Peanut Pancake, Terang Bulan, Martabak Bangka, Hok Lo Pan, Kue Bandung, Apam Pulau Pinang, Kuih Haji, Kueh Singapura, Kuih Malaya, Khanom Thang Taek, Khanom Pot Khwai, Khanom Hua Lat, Khanom Bale
Type	Pancakes
Place of origin	Fujian, China
Region or state	East and Southeast Asia
Associated cuisine	China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand
Main ingredients	Flour, hot water, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, sugar, eggs, peanut, margarine, butter
	Media: Apam balik ; أڤم باليق‎‎‎;

Apam balik (lit. 'turnover pancake'; Jawi: أڤم باليق‎‎‎) also known as martabak manis (lit. 'sweet murtabak'),^[3] terang bulan (lit. 'moonlight'), peanut pancake or mànjiānguǒ (Chinese: 曼煎粿), is a sweet dessert originating in Fujian cuisine which now consists of many varieties at specialist roadside stalls or restaurants throughout Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.^[4] It can also be found in Hong Kong as (Chinese: 冷糕), Taiwan as (Chinese: 麥仔煎), Southern Thailand as Khanom Thang Taek (ขนมถังแตก) and in the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines as Tarambulan.

Origins

The origins of Apam balik / 曼煎粿 attributes its invention to Zuo Zongtang, a military leader of the late Qing dynasty. In 1855, the army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom invaded the Fujian region and General Zuo was appointed to lead an army to crush the rebels. To provide the soldiers with food without interfering the life of local people, General Zuo decided to switch from the flatbread which was eaten together with spring onion and chilli sauce, to a pancake that used locally sourced and mass-produced ground cane sugar and peanut as filling.^[5]

The recipe does seem to have spread throughout the Fujian region, especially around Quanzhou and later on throughout Southeast China. It was brought south into Southeast Asia or Nanyang by Hokkien and Teochew immigrants, especially to Singapore, and merchants spread it to neighbouring regions.^[1]

Other names

The dessert is also known by various names in different languages, depending on the region.

Indonesia

Terang Bulan,^[6] (lit. 'moonlight') refer to the big round pancake, prior to folding, resembling the shape of a full moon, (East Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, southern Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Western New Guinea)
Martabak Manis,^[6] lit. 'sweet martabak' (Southern Sumatra, Banten, Jakarta, West Java, most of Central Java (except Semarang) and Yogyakarta)
Kue Bandung (in Semarang, Central Java)^{[citation needed]}
Martabak Bangka (Northern Sumatra and Bintan Island)
Apam Pinang (in West Kalimantan and North Kalimantan)
Hok Lo Pan (福佬粄) (in Bangka Belitung Islands and Batam);^[6]
Apam Balik (in Riau Archipelago)

Malaysia and Singapore

Ban Jian Kueh (Tâi-lô: bàn-tsian-kué) (Hokkien, in general for both countries)
Dai Gau Min (大塊麵) (Cantonese, in Perak)
Chin Loong Pau (煎弄包) (Cantonese, in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor)
Kap Piang 合餅 (Hakka, in Sabah)
Mak Pan 麥粄 (Hakka, in general for both countries)^[7]
Apam Pulau Pinang (Malay, in Penang)^[3]
Kuih Haji (Malay, in certain areas)
Apam Balik (Malay, in certain areas)
Apong (Malay, in Kelantan)
Apang Balek (Malay, in Terengganu and in certain areas of Pahang)
Apom Balek (Malay, in Kedah)
Terang Bulan (Malay, in Sabah)

Brunei

Kuih Malaya/Singapura (Malay, in Brunei), named during the colonial era when masses of Chinese emigrants went to the region in places such as Singapore

China

滿煎糕

Hong Kong

冷糕 (Cantonese)
砂糖夾餅 (Cantonese)

Singapore

Ban Jian Kueh (Hokkien, Singapore)
Min Chiang Kueh/Min Jiang Kueh (Teochew, in Singapore)^[8]
Peanut Pancake (麵煎粿) (Singapore)

Taiwan

麥仔煎 (Taiwanese Hokkien)

Philippines

Tarambulan/Tarang Bulan/Terang Bulan/Apam/Apam Saba/Apam Sabah (in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan and Zamboanga)^[9]^[10]
Muslim hotcake (Chavacano)

Description

The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, coconut milk and water.^[6] The batter is cooked upon a thick round iron frying pan in plenty of palm margarine to avoid it sticking to the pan. Then other ingredients are sprinkled as filling; the most common or traditional is crushed peanut granules with sugar and sweetcorn kernels (available from cans), but modern innovations such as chocolate sprinkles and cheddar cheese are also available.^[6] Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.^[11]

In Indonesia there is a smaller version made with smaller pan, they are called martabak mini or terang bulan mini.

The texture of the apam balik can vary depending on the amount of batter and type of pan used, from one that is akin to a crispier form of crumpets to small thin light pancake shells that break when bitten (the latter is usually called apam balik nipis, 'thin apam balik').

There is a Peranakan variant, the apom balik, that closely resembles the Indonesian Serabi.