Known locally as “apam kuale”, the round, soft and white kuih is becoming increasingly hard to find owing to its tedious preparation process, with fewer people willing to continue the craft.

Traditional kuih maker Fairus Isa, 55, said the lengthy preparation time is one reason not many entrepreneurs want to produce the delicacy for sale.

Fairus, who learnt the skill from her late mother-in-law Som Alang Said, has been in business for 34 years.

“At first, it was difficult because making the base ingredient, fermented rice (tapai nasi), takes time. But now, I’m used to it,” she told Bernama.

She said the preparation of tapai nasi alone takes about two days to achieve the right balance of sweet and sour flavours. “Only after that can we mix it with rice flour and sugar to make the perfect apam pasang.”

During Ramadan, Fairus starts preparing the mixture as early as 8am, then lets it rest for about five hours before steaming. “By 2pm, I can deliver the apam pasang to vendors at the Arena Kuala Kangsar Ramadan Bazaar,” she said.

Fairus explained that apam pasang is called such because two pieces are placed together after being wrapped in banana leaves. The kuih is often enjoyed with grated coconut or curry.

She added that sourcing wild banana leaves can also be a challenge, even as making the kuih has become more efficient thanks to modern gas stoves that have replaced traditional wood-fired cooking.

For Ramadan, Fairus produces about 100 pieces of apam pasang from Monday to Friday, and increases this quantity to around 200 on weekends.

Meanwhile, 63-year-old Nancy Mat Salleh, who has been a kuih vendor at the Arena Kuala Kangsar Ramadan Bazaar for 20 years, said she prefers to source apam pasang from Fairus rather than make it herself.

“The process is too long, especially when it comes to the tapai nasi. But happily, the kuih always sells out quickly because people love the taste,” she said.