Atap Chee (Atap Seed) Are So Nice

Hehe … One of my favourite desserts is the “Atap Chee” (”Atap Seed”). :)











Since young, the “Atap Chee” (Atap Seed) has always been one of my family’s all-time favourite local desserts. My siblings and I always looked forward to our weekly trip from Johor Bahru to Singapore to visit our relatives and then “shopping” at either Rochor or Woodlands. We would always end up buying some snacks and tibits, and of course, half a kg. of “Atap Chee”. Back then, you could choose to buy as much as you want because the “Atap Seeds” are charged by weight. We normally bought about 500gm (just nice for the 6 of us in the family).











Nowadays, normally the “Atap Chee” (Atap Seed) are ready packed like the one above. :)
















The “Atap Seed” is known as “Atap Chee” in the Teochew Chinese or Hokkien Chinese language. It is also known as “Ya4 Da Zi3″ in the Mandarin Chinese language. They are the seeds of the the “Atap” plant found in abundance in South East Asia. The leaves of the atap plant were used as roofings for houses (”Atap House”) and other buildings in the “kampung” (villages) long time ago. :)

The “Atap Seeds” are slighly larger and fatter than a thumb and transparent in nature. Some of them are soft and some of them are a bit hard. But either way, VERY nice! :)














My mom is very creative when it comes to eating the “Atap Chee” (atap seed): She likes to mix them with canned “Longan”, “Aloe Vera”, and “Sea Coconut”. The one above is short of the “Sea Coconut”, but everything else is there. Mmph, maybe adding “Nata De Coco” to it would be nice too … hehe :)

regards
hanyi

ps. The “Atap Chee” (atap seed) can be easily found in certain parts of Malaysia and all over Singapore. :)

ps. In places where the “atap chee” could be found, they are also added to the “ice kacang” (abc - air batu campur) dessert :)

A Kind of Malaysian Pancake: Apam Balik

Hehe … “apam balik” is one of my favourite local kuih.

I have been eating “apam balik” for as long as I could remember. I still remember long time ago, my mom used to buy it from the central market in Johor Bahru. It costed only RM0.80sen for each piece (whole thing) that can be cut up into 4 or 6 small pieces. My mom would normally request the pakcik to tambah kacang for an additional RM0.20sen. Back then, “apam balik” only came with grounded peanut and sugar fillings.

Today, the “apam balik” in Johor Bahru normally costs about RM1.50 - RM1.80 per piece.

In Kuching, the price is still cheap … only RM1.00 per piece. The one I have blogged about here costed me RM1.50. Why so expensive? Well, first of all, it comes with sweet corn fillings on top of the normal peanuts and sugar. Then, the dough itself is pandan flavoured. Hehe, actually it tasted kind of nice … so I don’t mind the slightly steeper price.

Nice isn’t it? If you were to eat it while it is still freshly made and a bit hot …. ooohhhh, heaven!!!

cheers
hanyi

ps. the above is a modern variety of the original “big” apam balik that is thick and soft in nature. it is also known as: mee jiang kueh, mang chang kuih, mang jiang kueh, jin loong bao, tai kau min, apam balik, apom balik, man jian kert, jian long bao, pancake, kap piang, etc.

ps. there is another newer “small” apam balik that has only been around a couple of years. this type is smaller and has very thin crispy skin. it costs about RM0.35 per piece.

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My Favourite Chocolate: Beryl’s Roasted California Almond

Hehe, I have always loved chocolates, any chocolates, especially good chocolates. Currently, one of my favourite chocolates is Beryl’s California Roasted Almond:

Why do I like Beryl’s Almond chocolates so much? Well, first of all not too sweet and not too bitter. Then, it is also not too expensive. It is “just nice mah

It is really finger licking good. Smooth and thick. Mmmmph …..

Hehe, the above chocolate was not bitten by me lah. It was bitten by my colleague, Susan. If I gigit it, I would sapu the whole thing lah.

Anyway, this is what a real connoisseur of chocolate said about the proper way to eat chocs:

Chocolate is never like sex but closest to indeed..

To enjoy great sex u need passion. .lots of it and a great partner (one that u deeply in love with) .. just like appreciating chocolates, u need to get a good quality chocolate, your favorite and eat it with passion.

I like the unique taste of dark chocolate…..so strong, so rich yet so smooth and velvety … Start with the aroma of chocolate.. smell it.. hold a small piece with 2 fingers.. feel it.. take a gentle deep sniff while biting on it, isn’t crunchy and aroma is mild but yet refreshing and mysterious.. ,Once it’s in your mouth don’t chew but let it melts slowly, feel it with your tongue while gently sucking it, feel the smoothness, uniqueness and richness of its taste and texture and aroma in your mouth, at the back of ur tongue and then in ur throat…it’s just ..so SEXY…. arhh..blissfull and not to mention the increasing of heartbeats.. the releasing of endorphins, the happy mood while eating chocolate.. Chocolate can be so intoxicating…..

Oh yeah, the melted bits on your fingers.. nibble it off instead of licking, u know with ur front teeth, softly nibble it while tasting it with the tips of your tongue. K… sensuous !!..LOL.. now u know why u need to eat with your fingers minus the chocolate wrapper?

Geez!!! Now I know I have been enjoying my favourite chocolates the wrong way!!!

cheers,
hanyi

ps. btw, Beryl’s California Roasted Almond chocolates are made in Malaysia!!!

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