This was something that I used to eat quite regularly when I was small…
…except that what we had then were bigger – more than twice the size and they did not come in paper cups like this one and I would expect that they were probably a lot cheaper. I buy these at a stall outside one of the shops near my house at 3 for RM1.00.
They are very nice – soft, light and fluffy as they should be, just slightly sweet and with a special smell or taste that is uniquely their own. I love re-steaming them before eating so that they would be a little bit warm…and then, I would apply a blob of butter, Golden Churn no less, and watch it melt as the fragrance fills the room and sometimes, I would add some peanut butter as well. Yum! Yum! Awesome! LOL!!!
But like many things that I ate and enjoyed when I was small, I actually do not know what they are called. So I googled to find out and if I’m not mistaken, they are known as “Fatt Koh” or “Huat Kueh“. Well, “huat” means to rise…as in the case of yeast in bread, we would have to leave the dough aside to let it rise or “huat” and since yeast and Eno is used in the making, that would probably explain the name.
“Huat” or “Huat chai” may also mean to prosper as in the case when somebody asks you, “Wah! Tua huat liao kah?” (Prospering a lot already, is it?) but do be alert to the connotation or idiomatic meaning as in my case, if anyone should ask me that, he or she would merely be insinuating that I am growing fatter and fatter – expanding like rising bread dough. Tsk! Tsk!!
I came across this interesting piece of information in this blog – the blogger says that Fatt Koh is a must for the Chinese during prayers. ‘Fatt’ means prosperity and every 1st and 15th of Chinese calendar, she will have prayers at the altar so everytime she needs to go to the market to buy at least 20 Fatt Kohs. According to her, it is something similar to cupcakes but of course, on top of it, the Fatt Koh is smiling ( cracked ).
Interesting! I did not know that before but then coming from a Christian family background, I guess there are many of such practices that I am not familiar with.
Then there is this other blog that calls it apam wa ko koay. Yes, I think I’ve heard that name before. Is it one and the same thing – huat koh koi pronounced a little bit differently or in another Chinese dialect? I believe that is the case…and I noticed that other than pure white, they do come in different colours these days – if you check out those blogs that I’ve linked, there are pink and green ones now as well. They also have those colours at the stall where I bought mine that day but I think I prefer mine white…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I like eating them too *grins*
You do? 😉
The auspicious Fatt Koh, fluffy and tasty, yum!
You like too eh? 😉
Nope, it’s Juan Juan who loves it!
I reckon it’s good – non-fat…and not much sugar, I guess as it’s usually only slightly sweet.
nice white one.
Snow white. LOL!!!
Huat ah!! Let’s makan more and more of this huat kueh then we shall all prosper.. and get lots of $$$ to make a nice living 🙂
Still in Penang, will be back to KL later today.. 🙂
Hopefully…not huat as in growing bigger and fatter. LOL!!! Have fun…
I love eating them especially those make from Gula Melaka…the smell is super good.
Oh? The brown ones? Not the same thing, I’m sure… Taste quite different. I prefer these white ones.
I want!!…I want!!….love eating those huat w/o any topping. Taste great!!…Eat more to “huat”…huat as in prosperity…and not huat as in side ways!!!…hehehe!!…
Have a great weekend!!!…
You too! What’s left of it! LOL!!! Well, I guess I’m a more fussy eater…or a more innovative one? LOL!!! 😀
Arthur,
The kuih taste a bit sourish..(from the yeast or something?) and more like a pak thong koh but without the hives and not chewy? From what I know, huat kuih does not look like that la and taste also just normal without that special smell and taste.The ones you show here looks more like those Malay apam tapai. I don’t know the name but I think it’s not huat kueh.
Oh dear! If that’s not the name, then what on earth is it called? Hopefuly somebody can come up with a definite answer. 😦
I dunno what these are called in Chinese, actually… but my late grandma called it apom span. LOL… cuz like sponge~
Oh no! Not another name!!! Can somebody tell everybody for certain what the name of this thing actually is? Looks like I’m not the only one- only know how to eat, don’t give a damn what it is called.
Hahahahah… I dono… I know how to baham it oni. I grew up calling it apom sponge… and very nice to take it with shaved coconuts! Sedap!
Kelapa parut? Sure it’s the same thing?
Huh… got such practice ah? I dunno… I am a bit of angmoh… kakakak….tau makan aje. But all these while I tot the apom is always used for Chinese prayers as offerings to the ancestors… so need to use these on certain dates? Interesting.
I’m not ang moh and I’ve seen these on altars…but I never bothered to give a second thought to the significance of the offering.
Are you a millionaire by now?
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/features/article/exam-obsessed-hong-kong-makes-
celebrity-tutors-rich/
Unfortunately no. Are you? Definitely a lot more money in what you do? 😉
yeah i also like the fatt koh and we believe that eating this will give us wealth! haha… the chinese.. but despite me eating so many, I’m still not rich!
Well, be consoled that you’re not fatt minus one t…like me. Hehehehehe!!!! 😀
oh i lurve this lil’ huat kueh! but mami only buys them when there’s prayer 😦
Oh? Why doesn’t she buy them at other times? Any superstition behind it or what?
No wonder you have tripled your size coz of huat kueh..huat! huat! huat!
Sigh!! Dunno when I will ever huat…tua chai! Looks like I’m doomed to remain poor all my life. Sobsss!!!
Now there are two different grades, one for prayers and the other for makan-ing so dont get the wrong ones ok must ask first haha.
Huh? The ones for prayers can’t be eaten? I thought usually they eat everything after praying and offering?
Last time when I just got married… i bought some to eat. And my husband was aghast, say how come I bought food that’s for prayers to eat? Ehhh… how do I kno ah… looks the same to me… taste nice I baham oni la. i summore added kelapa parut and sugar bits on top…got difference wan meh… for prayers and non-prayers apom?
Dunno. Christians do not believe in such things. Your hubby not Christian?
Err…. it shud be the same thing one. Looks the same, taste the same… but mebbe it’s just a nyonya practice to take it with kelapa parut on top of the apom. Taste much better with the kelapa parut on top…my grandma would sometimes dip it wif sugar oso…
I’ve seen the green ones with grated coconut on top but I do not think those apoms are the same as these (and not as nice). Taste very different, that’s for sure. Those are more like steamed egg cake.
A smiling steamed rice cake! You just reminded me that I have to make some of this.
You have these there? And you can make them? Wow! Great! @.@!!! LOL!!! 😀
Must remember to eat before I start playing the Jackpot machine in Genting….he he he!
Yes! Then you can really tua huat…and win big money! LOL!!!
Aiyor… huat kueh got 2 types meh…for praying & makan. 1st time heard of. Me, just buy and makan, hehehe!!!!….
I’m like you…just buy and eat! Dunno about any connection with praying! LOL!!!
Over here, we call it “soon koe”.. pinkish in colour.. fatt koe is yellowish in colour.. but i prefer white.. at least no colouring! yes, i also used to eat those during my younger days..but nowadays? no more.. normally chinese buy those for prayers..
Why don’t you buy them to eat anymore, only during your younger days? Nowadays, orang kaya already lah…don’t go for cheap and simple stuff like this anymore. Hehehehehe!!!! 😉
When I was growing up in Thailand, I ate lots of them but they were small sized in pinks and white with jasmine smell. Nowadays, it is getting even smaller sized in Bangkok in variety colours… Later years, I was surprised to see them so big sized in Malaysia without jasmine essence and slight texture difference. I think all originated from China since the early Ching dynasty but I forgot who told me…
Oh? There is a special fragrance, very very light…but nice. Jasmine? I thought it was the yeast or something. You’re from Thailand? Gee! I didn’t know that either…. 🙂
My granny use to buy this from market. The ones she bought are red colored. Used to eat this till i jelak already. But now missed it pulak. A few weeks ago i bought one for J. I tasted. Yuck…so sweet. I thought gula naik harga but why the one making it still put so much sugar in it???
You bought from Malay? Their things often extra sweet or extra salty…and yet, relatively cheaper! 😦
Your friend is rite, Arthur. There are two types of these. One for prayers and the other for consumption. Usually when buying this in the market, ask the seller. The ones for prayers are very hard in texture, not meant for eating. The other type is soft and fluffy. And they do come in a variety of colours! Very nice to eat and cute 🙂
Ok. Maybe here, all for eating…all soft and fluffy ones…and never heard of people here offering these for prayers, not that I know of.
I love to eat this. But hard to find here lei, mostly is for praying, pink colour.
At my previous working place, every morning i will buy from a malay makcik, she made very nice fatt kou, small and fluffy, RM1 for 5. So long i never had already, i remember when i am young, i had fatt kou very often, i like.
Ya…it used to be easily available here but these days, I do not see them as much and at times, I bought some that did not really rise properly and were sort of sticky or soggy. Not nice at all. I think like everything else, when the old ones die or stop making, there isn’t anybody to take over…and those who try are not able to make good ones like those in the past. 😦
look fluffy! i likey!!
Yup, this one’s good…but very often, they’re like soggy, not nice at all.