Appam balik (; Jawi script: ) also known as martabak manis (),
Origins
The invention of Apam balik / 曼煎粿 has been attributed, though without evidence, 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 is said to have 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.
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 people immigrants, especially to Singapore, and merchants spread it to neighbouring regions.
In Indonesia, this dish originated in Bangka Belitung Islands by ethnic Chinese (Hokkien and Khek) and it was named “Hok Lo Pan” which translates to “Hoklo ethnicity’s cake.”
Other names
The dessert is also known by various names in different languages, depending on the region.
Indonesia
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Terang Bulan,
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Martabak Manis,
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Kue Bandung (in Semarang, Central Java)
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Martabak Bangka (North Sumatra and Riau Archipelago)
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Martabak Bandung (West Sumatra)
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Apam Pinang (in West Kalimantan)
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Apam Keubeu (in Aceh)
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Hok Lo Pan (福佬粄) (in Bangka Belitung Islands and Batam Island);
Malaysia and Singapore
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Ban Jian Kueh (tl=bān-tsian-kué) (Hokkien, in general for both countries)
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Dai Gau Min (大塊麵) (Cantonese, in Perak)
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Chin Loong Pau (煎弄包) (Cantonese, in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor)
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Kap Piang 合餅 (Hakka, in Sabah)
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Mak Pan 麥粄 (Hakka, in general for both countries)
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Apam Penang (Malay, in Penang)
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Kuih Haji (Malay, in certain areas)
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Apam Balik (Malay, in certain areas)
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Apong (Malay, in Kelantan)
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Apang Balek (Malay, in Terengganu and in certain areas of Pahang)
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Apom Balek (Malay, in Kedah)
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Terang Bulan (Malay, in Sabah)
Brunei
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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
Hong Kong
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冷糕 (Cantonese)
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砂糖夾餅 (Cantonese)
Singapore
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Ban Jian Kueh (Hokkien, Singapore)
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Min Chiang Kueh/Min Jiang Kueh (Teochew, in Singapore)
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Peanut Pancake (麵煎粿) (Singapore)
Taiwan
Philippines
Description
The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda,
coconut milk and water.
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.
Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.
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.
File:Martabak manis complit.jpg|Martabak Bangka or Terang Bulan
File:Martabak toblerone.jpg|Sweet Martabak filled with chocolate
File:Hoklopan-Martabak Bangka.JPG|Hoklopan
File:Martabak Mini.jpg|Martabak mini
File:YosriApamBalik2.jpg|Apam balik
See also
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List of pancakes
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List of stuffed dishes
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Peranakan cuisine
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Dosai
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Crumpet
