Perhaps also due to the acute shortage of labour, I have noticed quite a handful of hawker stalls switched disposable wares to save on the dishwashing chores.  Quite a few min chiang kueh (MCK) sellers have also switched to serving their yummy snacks on styrofoam plates, even for dine-in customers.  A stall at Upper Cross Street still serves theirs on reusuable plates, so I will always have one piece when I pass by, dine-in of course.

I like my min chiang kueh filled with ground peanuts the traditional way, and not with sticky peanut butter.  Yes, it can be quite messy and impossible to eat without the peanut bits falling off from the pancake, but as long as I catch these crumbs on the plate, I can easily gather them into a pile and sweep into my mouth, wasting no edibles.

I have started making my own at home after discovering an easy recipe that has no lye.  I also used raw sugar and skipped sesame seeds.

I used my 16cm skillet to cook the MCK (recipe yields three pieces), on very low heat and covered.

The edges were cripsy, interior fluffy, just like the recipe source has suggested.

My kids commented that the homemade MCK smells and tastes authentic.  Another local snack recipe gem found!

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Min Chiang Kueh 面煎粿

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adapted from here

130g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 tablespoon raw sugar
1 large egg*
160g water

filling **
50g roasted ground peanuts***
25g raw sugar

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* I use large sized egg that weighs at least 80g with shell.

** I didn’t really follow the recipe closely for the filling, I watch the MCK sellers sprinkle sugar first than ground peanut, so I follow this method of preparing the filling instead, by feel.

*** I prefer coarse ones with more crunch, some commericial MCK comes filled the fine version of the ground peanuts, those you sprinkle muah chee with.  Coarse or fine, up to indiviual preference.

In a bowl, mix the 4 dry ingredients  together.  Then add egg and water, and stir to mix well into a smooth batter with a whisk.  Set this aside undisturbed for at least 30 minutes.

Heat up 16 inch skillet over medium heat, when the skillet gets too hot to touch, turn the heat down to low and grease cooking surface thinly with a pastry brush.   Pour 1/3 of the batter into the skillet, and swirl the batter around to coat the edge of the pan with a thin layer of batter, this will become the crispy yummy edge of the MCK.  Cover and let it cook for 3-4 minutes over a very low heat.

Lift the cover.  The batter should look almost cooked with no obvious wet batter spots.  Sprinkle sugar evenly, followed by ground peanuts, cover and continue to cook further, for 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, lift the cover, fold the MCK into half and transfer to serving plate. Cut and serve immediately.