PETALING JAYA, Dec 30 — If you're in the vicinity of PJ Old Town, drop by this gem of a place for superb apam balik.

The best way to enjoy it is to eat it hot from the pan.

Expertise in preparing this simple snack is evident in the fluffy soft pancake laden with roasted ground peanuts that taste like creamy peanut butter.

Asiah binti Wan has been running this stall for more than 30 years.

You will find her camped out there the whole day as she prepares the ingredients for the fried snacks and apam balik with a helper.

The apam balik is made upon order. As you wait, you can watch the rhythmic way she prepares the pancakes.

It starts from her putting the batter on the pan. The thick white batter is efficiently smoothened out with the back of the ladle she uses to scoop the batter.

Once that is partially cooked, she sprinkles on caster sugar and a generous portion of roasted ground peanuts. I had asked for extra peanuts since I love eating my apam balik with lots of peanuts.

As it cooks on the fire, the edges will slowly get crispy and brown. She will also drizzle a ladle of melted Planta over the pancake, which gives it a nice aroma.

With a flat spatula, she will quickly pry the edges of the pancake out from the hot pan to help release it. If you ask for a peanut and corn hybrid, she will add dollops of cream corn on the pancake.

Watch carefully as she folds the large pancake in half. With asbestos hands used to the heat, she places it on a board to cut it into pieces. They're placed in a takeaway container where a hole is cut out of the cover to allow the steam to escape.

I recommend you eat it immediately as it will get soggy as it cools down. It's hot but the combination of the creamy texture of the peanuts and fluffy soft pancake is irrestisble.

Before I knew it, I had polished off the pancake. For RM4, it was probably the most satisfying apam balik I have ever eaten.

Even the goreng pisang is good here. She uses pisang tanduk for a soft and not overly sweet banana encased in a light, ultra crispy filigree like crust. It's RM2 for three pieces. She also offers other fried goodies too.

Finding the stall is a bit tricky since it's on a small road that is between Jalan 1/12 and Jalan 1/14. Officially on its trading license, the address is Jalan 1/14.

A landmark will be Klinik Pergigian Drs Wong & Partners along Jalan 1/14, where you turn left and the stall will be located at the corner on the left hand side.

Do note that it's not the kuih stall right in front of Hong Leong Bank Berhad which also offers apam balik, popiah basah and curry puffs.

Apam Balik Cik Ah, Stall at Jalan 1/14, Section 1, PJ Old Town, Petaling Jaya. Open: 11am to 6pm. Closed on Sunday.

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