Breakfast
Apam Balik (Peanut Turnover Pancake)
Rest a yeasted flour and egg batter for 1 hour, cook it in a covered heavy pan until the top is full of holes, then fill it with butter, sugared ground peanuts and creamed corn and fold it in half; about 1 hour 35 minutes for 6.
Apam balik is the folded pancake sold at night markets all over Malaysia: a thick, spongy batter cooked in a heavy pan until the top is full of holes, then filled with butter, crushed sugared peanuts and creamed corn and folded in half. The edge turns crisp and caramelised while the middle stays soft. A short rest for the yeasted batter gives it the honeycomb texture, so start an hour before you want to eat.
- Serves 6
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 20 min
- Total: 1 hr 35 min
- Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients
Batter
- 250 g (2 cups) plain flour
- 50 g sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 300 ml lukewarm water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp water, for the baking soda
Filling
- 150 g roasted peanuts, skinned and coarsely ground
- 80 g sugar
- 150 g creamed corn (optional)
- 40 g butter, softened
For the pan
- 1 tsp cooking oil
Method
- Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl. Beat the egg with the lukewarm water, pour it in and whisk to a smooth, pourable batter with no lumps. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until bubbly and slightly risen.
- While the batter rests, mix the ground peanuts with the sugar in a small bowl.
- Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tbsp water and stir it gently into the risen batter. Leave it for 5 minutes.
- Heat a heavy 24 cm (9 in) frying pan, ideally cast iron, over low to medium heat and wipe it with a little oil. Pour in half the batter and swirl it up the sides of the pan so the edge is thin. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, until the top is set and covered in holes.
- Uncover, dot half the butter over the top, then scatter over half the peanut sugar and half the creamed corn. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes more, until the base is deep golden and the edge is crisp.
- Fold the pancake in half with a spatula, press it lightly, slide it onto a board and cut it into wedges. Repeat with the rest of the batter and filling. Serve warm.
Tips
- Crispy thin version (apam balik nipis): leave out the yeast and baking soda, add 60 ml more water, and spread a ladle of batter very thinly over a hot pan. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes until crisp, fill and fold.
- No yeast: replace the yeast with 2 tsp baking powder, skip the 1 hour rest and leave the batter for 20 minutes instead.
- Pan heat: if the base browns before the top sets, turn the heat down; if there are no holes on top, the pan is too cool.
- Storage: apam balik is best eaten the same day. Reheat wedges in a dry pan over low heat for 2 minutes per side.
Questions
What is the difference between thick and crispy apam balik?
Thick apam balik uses a yeasted batter cooked covered, so it is soft and spongy inside with a crisp edge. The crispy version (apam balik nipis) uses a thinner batter spread very thin and cooked uncovered until it snaps like a wafer.
Can I make apam balik without yeast?
Yes. Use 2 tsp baking powder instead of the yeast and rest the batter for 20 minutes. It will be a little less airy.
Why does my apam balik have no holes on top?
The batter needs a full rest until bubbly, and the pan must be hot enough. Cook it covered over low to medium heat so the top sets while bubbles rise through it.
What pan is best for apam balik?
A heavy 24 cm cast iron or thick non-stick frying pan with a lid. Heavy pans hold an even heat, so the base browns without burning.
Is this apam balik halal?
The recipe is pork-free and lists no alcohol. It is not halal-certified: check that the yeast, butter and creamed corn carry halal certification.
A Dada Cooking original recipe. Quantities are metric first, with US amounts in brackets.