Chinese candy

[JustKay]

Laksa would probably know this but then again ... maybe not.

Kek Masam Manis (Haw Flakes cake) - famous in Sarawak. It is oh so good!! I'll post a recipe if anyone's interested.

There's another one which I like better than the White Rabbit. It's called Prawn/Shrimp Candy ... not that it has any prawns in it. The filling is kinda peanut-y. Perhaps I'll get some soon and take a pic.

And isn't Kopiko an Indonesian candy? Also, I didn't reaize that Sugus is a 'chinese candy'.

Anyone remember a strawberry flavored uber sweet candy that's like a fondant? Comes wrapped in red cellophane paper?

And Yetty ... this u talkin' abooot?

I just bought a pound of these to send to a 'friend' in NY. Am eating one right now.

**excuse the blurry pics. it's the dang cheapo camera!

Edited March 18, 2005 by kew (log)

[JustKay]

How about kacang tumbuk anyone? This is sweetened ground groundnuts/peanuts.

There is another one which is called 'peanut cakes' - these are finer in texture and compressed into small discs.

And nut brittles :

peanut, cashew, pumpkin seed and almond brittle.

Now these reminds me of another sesame seed taffy-like candy - very chewy and pliable.

When I was little I always buy both the peanut brittle *and* the chewy sesame seed 'taffy' together.

What about Dan Hua 'cake' candy?. Too sweet for me though.

Edited March 17, 2005 by kew (log)

[Pan]

My favorite store-bought candy in Malaysia used to be a shredded-peanuts-and-sugar candy made in a factory in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan. Somehow, I think I remember it was made by Chong Hong Sdn. Bhd. It was halal and the writing on each package was in Chinese characters, Rumi, and Jawi (and maybe Tamil). Do any of you know what I'm talking about? I didn't see it in stores the last time I was in Malaysia, but my parents and I liked it very much in the 70s, and I haven't found anything of that type that I've liked nearly as much since. The little shredded-peanut-and-sugar candies from Taiwan that are in big Chinese supermarkets in New York just don't compare to my memory of the other ones, which were bigger and wrapped in paper.

[JustKay]

My favorite store-bought candy in Malaysia used to be a shredded-peanuts-and-sugar candy made in a factory in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan. Somehow, I think I remember it was made by Chong Hong Sdn. Bhd.

Shredded peanuts? What is that?

Can you describe it in more detail? The shape, packaging, etc .....

[Dejah]

I have vague memories of a bar shaped chopped peanut and cococunt chewy candy.

I need to spend more time in the candy aisles next trip!

[Laksa]

Laksa would probably know this but then again ... maybe not. 

Kek Masam Manis (Haw Flake scake) - famous in Sarawak. It is oh so good!!

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Hmm... haw flakes.... do they taste anything like corn flakes?

Actually, I saw haw flake layer cakes in many stores in Bintulu, but I had no idea Sarawak is famous for them. It'll be interesting to find out how well the tart haw flakes work in a sweet cake. Haw flake cake is now on the top of my to-try list.

Edited March 17, 2005 by Laksa (log)

[wrek92]

Thank goodness Haw Flakes don't taste like Corn Flakes.

For those of you who have not enjoyed Haw Flakes, they taste a little like those Fruit Rollups. I think Haw is actually short for Hawthorne Berry. Healthwise, it's supposed to help with lowering your blood pressure but I wonder how many of those things you have to eat in order to get a medicinal effect?

So, I stopped by the Asian market today and bought some shrimp flavored crackers/cheetos-looking thingies and some Kasugai Grape Gummies. Gotta love the artificial flavor.

Edited March 18, 2005 by wrek92 (log)

[spaghetttti]

Thank you so much for the pics, kew, yeah those look like the coconut candy I used to love getting at our family's favorite chinese restaurant in Chinatown DC called the China Inn - now just a fond memory. The owner Bill Yee just couldn't pronounce my name so he always called me Betty. Yetty Betty Spaghetttti. Play the name game with that!

[Pan]

My favorite store-bought candy in Malaysia used to be a shredded-peanuts-and-sugar candy made in a factory in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan. Somehow, I think I remember it was made by Chong Hong Sdn. Bhd.

Shredded peanuts? What is that?

Can you describe it in more detail? The shape, packaging, etc .....

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I guess it was more nearly powdered peanuts. The shape was a rectangular tetrahedron (like a cube but rectangular). I suppose each "cookie" was something like 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch high and 2 inches wide? There were several (don't remember the number) per package. And the company might have been Hong Chong Sdn. Bhd....

I don't remember the appearance of the packaging too much, but it was all paper, except that the outer box was probably thin cardboard with paper wrapping. All the pieces inside were wrapped in several layers of paper. Not much plastic in Malaysia in those days.

[Tepee]

From your description, Pan, your peanut candy is more or less the same as the kacang tumbuk posted by Kew. I know exactly which one you're talking about. They are still 'around'. Will go ISO. Some are still wrapped in paper!

[Pan]

From your description, Pan, your peanut candy is more or less the same as the kacang tumbuk posted by Kew.[...]

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Yeah, that picture of kacang tumbuk does look similar. I hope you find the thing I'm remembering. My parents and I sort of gorged ourselves on it, when we weren't disgusting our neighbors by eating rounds of manisan like they were maple candy.

[Mooshmouse]

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Kopiko!

[spaghetttti]

Hi Joie, can you get some in Vancouver? If not, I'd love to send you some.

Edited March 18, 2005 by spaghetttti (log)

[Mooshmouse]

Yetty, you 'sweet' thing!

I'll troll through a couple of local Asian supermarkets to see what I can find. If I come up empty-handed, I might have to take you up on your oh-so-generous offer! In exchange, of course, for any North American/Canadian sweets that you might be jonesing for.

[spaghetttti]

Heeeheee, Canadian sweets! Somehow I don't think Noah and this

would withstand the trans-Pacific journey!

[JustKay]

I guess it was more nearly powdered peanuts. The shape was a rectangular tetrahedron (like a cube but rectangular). I suppose each "cookie" was something like 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch high and 2 inches wide? There were several (don't remember the number) per package. And the company might have been Hong Chong Sdn. Bhd....

I don't remember the appearance of the packaging too much, but it was all paper, except that the outer box was probably thin cardboard with paper wrapping. All the pieces inside were wrapped in several layers of paper. Not much plastic in Malaysia in those days.

"rectangular tetrahedron (like a cube but rectangular)" - what a bloomin' description!

Could it be more like an elongated rhombus-like cube? I think I know what you're talking about, the paper and all. They come in cubes more nowadays but there is still a brand that cuts it the "rectangular tetrahedron (like a cube but rectangular)"

way.

Yup, the kacang tumbuk in the pic above in individually wrapped in a glassine-kinda paper.

Anyway .... I found this at the shop just now:

Can you see the Jawi writing?

Yes?

Edited March 18, 2005 by kew (log)

[Pan]

I can't make out too much of the jawi. I even tried copying it into Photoshop and am having trouble focusing it. The candy looks like it may be the same thing I remember, though I'd have to taste it to be sure.

[JustKay]

I can't make out too much of the jawi. I even tried copying it into Photoshop and am having trouble focusing it.

I'll try to take a better pic of the wrapper.

The candy looks like it may be the same thing I remember, though I'd have to taste it to be sure.

That can be easily remedied. PM me the relevant info and any other requests. I might even be able to locate the "rectangular tetrahedron (like a cube but rectangular)" ones.

[Laksa]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned these yet:

They taste sweet and eggy. Started buying them recently for nostalgic reasons. Never thought much of them as a kid, but can't stop eating them now.

What do you call these things?

[JustKay]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned these yet:

What do you call these things?

Now I'm convinced nobody reads my posts. '

These are called Dan Hua cake here.

[JustKay]

Here are more Chinese 'candies' that comes to mind.

Those little 'lemon tablets' - they come in gold foil tube-like wrapping.

Mandarin peels.

Mo fa kor.

And I forgot to mention that Haw Flakes now also comes in the form of Haw Jelly - alternating layers of Haw Flakes and Haw Jelly. Also in bigger discs.

Does anyone not know/remember of the fondant-like strawberry sweets?

[Laksa]

Now I'm convinced nobody reads my posts.  '

These are called Dan Hua cake here. 

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Aiyah... I didn't know you were talking about these, lah!

Looking at the packet, the Chinese characters say dan hua su, so I should've made the connection. Brain doesn't fire on all cylinders sometimes... most of the time actually.

[hayasaka.k]

Joie, we do have Kopiko here...I actually had a "few" the other day. The T&T's have a great selection and whatever you don't find there is available at any candy/snack store (Tong Guo Sing and the like) in the Asian malls. I don't bother sticking to a "list" when I go in there, it's no use.

[Mooshmouse]

Joie, we do have Kopiko here...I actually had a "few" the other day. The T&T's have a great selection and whatever you don't find there is available at any candy/snack store (Tong Guo Sing and the like) in the Asian malls. I don't bother sticking to a "list" when I go in there, it's no use. 

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Thanks for that... I'll have to check on my next visit. And I know what you mean by not having a list on my T&T excursions. Doubly frightening if you're shopping while ravenously hungry. It can be ridiculously expensive walking out with all those bags of freshly baked goods, sweets and salty snacks.

[spaghetttti]

Last night I got those Dan Hua cakes and some of these sesame ting-ting. I'm supposed to be cutting down (out) on sugar, so I stocked my husband's candy stash for work. He pronounced the sesame crisps as "smoky sweet."