Uncle Soon Apam Balik
[Pork-free] Uncle Soon Apam Balik sells our favourite Apam Balik ever!
This business was first started by brothers Soon Teik Yong and Soon Teik Hoe in 1979.
Today, Uncle Soon’s stalls can be found at selected pasar malam (night markets) throughout the Klang Valley. They also operate a permanent shop at Sunway Velocity Mall and do deliveries for corporate orders.
Uncle Soon Apam Balik serves three types of apam
Apam Balik is a type of Asian sweet pancake that’s commonly found in night markets in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
While the dessert is said to have originated from Fujian cuisine, a version of the apam also bears some similarities to the Sri Lankan appam (hoppers).
Here in Malaysia – there are three common types of appam being sold:
(i) Apam Balik – Also commonly known as Ban Jian Kueh in Hokkien, this is the most commonly found version of the pancake. Made with eggs, flour, sugar and coconut milk, the pancake is usually thick and fluffy with crispy edges. This Apam balik is cooked on a big pan (see Uncle Soon in action in the video below), and typically yields 12 pieces per pan (or wok).
The traditional filling for Ban Jian Kueh has crushed peanuts, butter, and sweet corn, but modern interpretations may include chocolate, peanut butter, and cheese.
(ii) Apam Balik Nipis – This version is cooked on a smaller pan and typically yields a thin and crispy pancake. The traditional filling is similar to the apam balik (corn, crushed peanuts, and butter).
(iii) Apam Balik Manis – This version resembles the closest to Indian-style apom (hoppers). These have a more prominent coconut fragrance and are folded three ways for a crispy and satisfying bite.
Good news – Uncle Soon serves all three versions!
Where to find Uncle Soon Apam Balik
Here’s where to find Uncle Soon Apam Balik stalls at pasar malam throughout the week:
- Monday – SS2 pasar malam
- Tuesday – Sri Petaling
- Wednesday – Taman Connaught
- Thursday – Chow Yang SS2
- Friday – Batu 11 Cheras
- Saturday – Taman Bukit Anggerik Cheras
- Sunday – Bangsar
We usually like to get our fix at the Bangsar pasar malam (just right next to the mosque) but note that the night market now opens at 4.30 pm and most stalls usually shutter at 7pm (a far cry from the 9-10pm closing hours before the pandemic).
Hence, we advise going early to avoid disappointment.
Uncle Soon is a rare Pokemon!
After many years of patronage, we finally met Uncle Soon in person last Sunday at the Bangsar stall!
Uncle Soon is like a rare Pokemon – it’s not often you find him in the wild.
We had a nice chat with Uncle Soon and it was nice seeing him in action. To be sure, we find that the quality of the apam balik is quite consistent whether it is cooked by Uncle Soon or his proteges.
Why is Uncle Soon apam balik our favourite?
So what sets Uncle Soon’s Apam Balik (RM1.90 per piece) apart from others?
We really enjoy these apam balik as the batter has just the right balance of sweetness and saltiness. The fluffy texture is also perfect in our view – which gives it a nice chewy bite.
Most importantly, we really like the generous amount of crushed peanuts being given (which are also nicely toasted). The pancake is also not too buttery, and we’ve never eaten any burnt pancakes through the years.
We’ve tried many apam balik from other different stalls at night markets, and none can compare to Uncle Soon’s, in our view.
Note that we usually order the apam balik without corn – but the latter also tastes good if you like corn.
Apam Manis is yummy too
We also ordered the Apam Manis (RM1 per piece). As mentioned, these are thin pancakes that most resemble Indian hoppers.
We really enjoyed these too as the edges are perfectly crispy with a fluffy middle that’s rich with coconut aroma.
Summary
Uncle Soon’s Apam Balik is the best in our view as the recipe has been perfected for more than 44 years, and we like Uncle Soon’s attention to the quality of ingredients and cooking methods.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Uncle Soon Apam Balik
Various locations in the Klang Valley
For more information:
https://www.instagram.com/unclesoonapambalik/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Uncle-Soon-Apam-Balik-KEPONG-100083038396967/
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