Apam balik are thick and fluffy pancakes that are popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore. They are prepared from coconut milk. They are eaten lukewarm, garnished with crushed peanuts and sweet corn.
These chewy pancakes are a staple of Malaysian street food and are nicknamed peanut pancakes or Malaysian pancakes by tourists.
What are apam balik?
Apam balik have been part of the tradition of local Malaysian street food for centuries. This is a variety of chewy pancakes that is very popular in Southeast Asia. Indeed, they are found in other countries: Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei. Some street vendors sell them from their food carts.
Apam balik are generally crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These Malaysian pancakes are served on one side, folded over on themselves. They come in the form of half-moons. Also, traditional apam balik are garnished with roasted and crushed peanuts, cane sugar and sweet corn. But several modern variants have emerged recently and introduce chocolate or cheese toppings.
What is unique about apam balik?
The pancake batter that makes up apam balik looks like pancake batter. The difference lies in the fact that coconut milk is present in the recipe instead of traditional milk. Coconut milk not only gives the pancake a very fragrant aroma, but is also responsible for the airy texture of the pancake. In addition, the pancake batter of apam balik includes baking powder in large quantities, which makes the texture of the pancake even lighter.
The cooking of apam balik is traditionally done on a large hot plate, to which margarine is abundantly added throughout the cooking process. Today, it is easy to make them at home in a cast iron skillet.
The different names of apam balik
Apam balik are known by several names in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, they are also called terang bulan, which literally means “shining moon” or even martabak manis, which is a sweet variety of martabak (another kind of traditional Malaysian pancake that is heavier than apam balik).
Also, these peanut pancakes can be found under other names: Ban Jian Kueh, Min Chiang Kueh (in Johor), Dai Gau Min (in Perak), Chin Loong Pau (in Kuala Lumpur), Kap Biang (in Hakka).
In other countries, Malaysian peanut pancakes are known by the following names:
In Brunei, Malaysian pancakes are called Kuih Malaya, in reference to their country of origin, Malaysia.
In Indonesia, the term martabak manis is most commonly used to refer to these Malaysian peanut pancakes. The pancake is cooked in a specially designed pan, then garnished with ingredients such as cheese, chocolate, crushed peanuts, condensed milk and sesame seeds. Then, the pancake is cut in half and one side is folded over the other. There are other names for traditional Malaysian pancakes in Indonesia, including Kue Bandung, Apam Pinang, Hok Lo Pan or Kue Bandung.
In Singapore, people just call them peanut pancakes.
In the United States, apam balik are called Asian peanut pancakes or Malaysian pancake turnovers.
What is the origin of apam balik?
According to some sources, the invention of the apam balik (or 曼煎粿) is closely linked to General Tso, a Chinese statesman and military leader of the late Qing dynasty (1636-1912).
In 1855, the Heavenly Kingdom of the Great Peace (Taiping Tian Guo) army invaded the region of Fujian, a province in southeast China known for its mountains and coastal towns. General Tso was appointed to lead an army to crush the rebel riots.
Also, he wanted to supply his soldiers without disturbing the life of the local population. He decided to replace the traditional flatbread that was eaten there, accompanied by green onions and chili sauce, with pancakes topped with ground cane sugar and local peanuts, the latter being mass produced in the region.
The peanut pancake recipe was then exported throughout the Fujian region and was very successful, first in the vicinity of Quanzhou and then in southeastern China. Apam balik was also introduced to other countries in Southeast Asia by Chinese Hokkien immigrants from Fujian.
Other varieties of Asian crepes
Murtabak or martabak is a stuffed pancake that is widely consumed in Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Brunei. It is originally from India. Its texture is consistent and is usually prepared the day before for the next day.
Serabi is an Indonesian pancake native to Java whose pancake batter is very similar to apam balik. It is prepared from rice flour. These are small, sweet pancakes. In Thailand, they are known as khanom khrok.
Salukara is a rice pancake originally from the Philippines. Its particularity is based on the presence of tubâ, a palm wine with a sour taste that acts as a leavening agent in the batter. The presence of tubâ gives a slightly sour aftertaste to the pancake.
Apam Balik
Ingredients
For the batter
- 4 cups coconut milk
- 3 eggs
- 4 tablespoons palm margarine , melted (or butter, melted)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 5 cups flour , sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder , sifted
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
For cooking
- Palm margarine
For the filling
- Brown sugar
- Peanuts , roasted and crushed
- White sesame seeds
- Soft corn kernels (canned)
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Crepe pan
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs and the caster sugar.
- Add the salt and, and whisk for 3 minutes.
- Add the flour and baking powder mixed together, then gradually add the coconut milk, whisking well to remove any lumps.
- Add the melted and cooled palm margarine.
- Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
- In a crepe pan, melt a knob of palm margarine then, when hot, pour a generous amount of batter about ½ (1 cm) thick.
- Tilt the pan to distribute the batter evenly.
- Cook over low to medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cane sugar, or more, depending on taste, with 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanuts, 1 to 2 tablespoons of white sesame seeds and 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweet corn.
- Fold the pancake in half to close and continue cooking, 1 to 2 minutes or until the batter is cooked through.
- Repeat the operation until the batter is used up.
Video
As the founder of pastry food blog Les Trois Madeleines, Sarah-Eden reinvents glamorous desserts with original pastries. She enjoys discovering new blogs, interacting with food bloggers, and of course, she loves madeleines!
Yolly says
I love this recipe, In Indonesia, we call them Martabak.
sue says
i love apam balik..malay version. malaysian version. yes!
Zamilt says
Appam Balik is very crunchy and delicious also on a banana inside. , You must try it abam balik when you go to Malaysia