During our food hunt in our recent Ipoh trip, we brought the girls to visit a Heong Peang ‘factory’ in Gunung Rapat, Ipoh, before adjourning to Sam Poh Toong Caves. From the facade of the makeshift ‘factory’ housed in an attap house in one of the ‘kampung’ of Gunung Rapat, no one, absolutely no one would have thought that this tiny attap house could churn out so many pieces of traditional Heong Peang for distribution for sale all over Malaysia! It was definitely an eye opener for the kids, as well as for me! For almost 20 years, my dad has been buying Heong Peang from 189 @ Gunung Rapat. If you do not make any prior booking via the phone, your trip to 189 may be futile and you may have to leave empty handed.
A kneading dough machine in one of the rooms.
Sherilyn and Cass watching in awe how the workers knead and fill up the dough with molasses.
A worker kneading the dough and shaping them.
A tray of biscuits waiting to be placed in the ‘oven’
The uncooked biscuits are lined around the sides of the ‘oven’ to be baked, which looks like a cement well. About 150 pieces are stuck to the ‘oven’ at one time. If you stand to watch the process for 15 minutes (that’s how quick it is to bake the Heong Peang), you will be amazed to see how the biscuits get browned and skin turn flaky and crispy… and be prepared to bring along some hankies and wet wipes to wipe away your dribbling sweat!
Coconut husks are used as fuel for the fire, this is what I call authentic traditional baking method!
The biscuits turning brown and almost ready!
A batch of really hot-from-the-oven super crunchy Heong Peang outside the oven, waiting to be packed.
Save some tissue papers for wiping off your dribbling saliva too, when you see and smell the irresistible freshly baked Heong Peang! As with most kampung styled prepared food, you just have to bear with the not-so-hygienic newspapers used to line the trays. ‘Kar Liu’ food always taste better eh?
We bought 8 packs of Heong Peang from 189 — including 1 packet that’s reduced sugar. Some are individually packed and has a classier packaging. The individually packed ones can last longer. Some of the biscuits were for distribution to friends and the rest – we have been gorging on them everyday. Waiting to see the deadly aftermath on my scale soon as I have not been exercising everyday lately!
189 (Yat Pat Gao Enterprise)
189, Lorong Gunung Rapat 5,
31350 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Telephone : 6016-560 9781 (Lew), 605-312 7033
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