Even those on strict diets are often advised by the doctors to maintain several small meals throughout the day anyway, and Malaysians are just avid fans of food and it is no surprise since our country is often hailed as food paradise with the multitude of ethnicity and culture we have here.
While restaurants and cafes are sprouting up everywhere, this did not put an end to the roadside stalls set up by the locals which made up part of the Malaysian colorful lifestyle and culture.
Many may perceive that these stalls are run by the needy locals in need to make a living, but some of these locals have been in business for decades and generations even. Some may have already made it big but they are still maintaining their business in the stalls instead of expanding to shops or franchise, simply because they enjoy it that way.
These stalls; be it on trolley carts with wheels or makeshift stalls with chains and with the familiar sight of the big yellow umbrella with colorful stripes are just loved by the local Malaysians because they are just fond reminders of our local culture, and are just simply our very own even with the existence of such stalls all over Asia.
Snacks are one of the most loved meals, I would say as most could just indulge in various varieties throughout the day; away from their main meals that is. It is a common excuse that there are just snacks, and not filling, at all.
There are just so many to choose from; noodles, cakes, desserts and sweet savory delights.
Apom, is a sweet savory pancake which I have previously blogged about here; and the earlier post was about the Apom Balik (or Apam Balik) and this time, it is about the Apom Telur (or Apong Telur).
These are the two variants of the local Malaysian pancake; with the Apam Balik being the one with the thicker and richer version with fragrant coconut milk and sweet corn or any other filling, and the Apom Telur is the lighter version, with a thin paper-like texture and is purely made of flour and eggs batter, yet aromatic as well.
I personally prefer the Apom Telur, and it is getting hard to find these compared to its more popular sibling on the island. I stumbled upon this stall in Island Glades, near the row of shophouses and the coffee shops in Genting.
The stall is run by an Indian lady, who can be seen here on most days; and sometimes even until night.
The Apom Telur comes in fives; where one has to order five pieces at a go for a price of MYR3.00 (a piece would cost MYR0.60 each).
A glimpse of the making of the Apom Telur below.
She made them on the spot for her customers; although sometimes she may have made them beforehand as extras and left to cool, but typically it would be made on the spot.
The Apom Telur is made purely of flour and eggs batter, heated on these little pans for a good few minutes before she checks on the middle to make sure they are well-cooked.
Then they would be lifted and scrapped from the pans to be folded and left to cool before being placed on the banana leaf to be wrapped for the customers.
It is rare to see the banana leaf being used these days, and it was good that she is still practicing it as it gives the pancakes that extra little kick and natural aromatic flavor.
It is always best to leave it to cool for a few minutes before biting digging into these pancakes, as it could be a little soggy when it's hot. (Perhaps that is just my personal preference though)
When it's slightly cooler (not too long), it has that aromatic scent and perfect texture when one bites into it. The texture is a little like the love letters or Kuih Kapit for Chinese New Year.
This version is slightly salty though, perhaps she had mistaken the salt for sugar that day?
Don't leave it too long to cool, or it would have the same soggy or unappealing texture as well. Just a few seconds or 1-2 mins would do.
That is why I am already having it in the car the minute we bagged it from the stall *winks*
