I’m heading to Penang & I want…Almond dessert – "Heng Jin", at New Lane/Kimberly Street

I will be heading to Penang this coming weekend, and I thought instead of blogging about my trip after I’m back, I might as well get ahead & share with you my planned & favourite haunts each time I’m back on the island.

It is almost a ritual, and the stall owners would most likely greet me with “Ahh…you back di ahh..what are you doing in KL worr? Why soooo thin?? Come back Penang laa..”. *roll eyes*

One of the things I miss most in Penang is “heng jin thng”(almonds in hokkien), Chinese Almond Soup, a type of “tong shui” – aka sweet dessert soup.
The 2 famous stalls that sells this are at New Lane & another at Kimberly Street.

PG -Aug Kimberly st

This almond dessert is pretty much an acquired taste, for it has been described by its non-fans as foul smelling (mostly described as medicinal smelling or like cockroaches!) & unappetizing.

PG -Aug Kimberly st1

In KL, most dessert house does the Almond CREAM versions, which is really different from this .
I thought I hit jackpot when I saw it sold by a mobile stall in SS2 Monday night market but
each visits has been futile, for it was always sold out by the time I got there!

Anyhow, it was absolutely satisfying (for me at least) to dunk some “you tiao / you cha kway/ yew char kuay” (chinese fried crullers) into my steaming fresh almond soup & slowly savour the slight saltiness & chewy texture from the chinese crullers soaked with the bitter yet sweet almond soup.
This was a light dinner by itself for me.

The almonds for making this Heng Jin Thng is the chinese almonds which differs from the ones used to make almond biscuits.
The owner once told me that he grinds the almonds mixture with rice using traditional granite/stone grinder. That probably explains the fresh & slightly grainy taste of the soup.
Recently, I’ve heard rumours that it is now powder mixed, diluted & wasn’t as good as before & I sincerely hope that I will still find it as enjoyable this coming trip.

In Chinese coffee shops, I will order it for breakfast, and this is typically the powder form.

cup of almond

Not that I mind, cos with a bit of condensed milk stirred in, it was a healthy breakfast drink for me. Again, it doesn’t seem to be served in KL coffee shops.
Still, nothing beats the freshly grinded and cooked almond soup.

I love my red bean soup and Lian Chee Kang too.

PG -Aug Kimberly st2

And only these 2 stalls does my red beans the way I like it.
Not broken up & starchy soup-wise but still in whole kernels yet soft to the core when eaten.
The skin is not “rough” & the skin wouldn’t scratch your throat as you swallow it.
The gingko nuts are commendable too, soft, sweet and cooked through thoroughly.

Ahhhh…Penang may not hold the fondest memories, but at least I got fond memories of the food!



This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. gourmand extraordinaire

    Hate it. My mum says and i agree that it smells like batsat (bed bugs? I think? )

  2. SimpleGirl

    i love the cockroach smell…so healthy!!!

  3. UnkaLeong

    me no likey dear 😉

  4. burpandslurp

    Yuck. I don't like that stuff. The only dessert I liked was that tou suan…you know that delicious thing? With you tiao pieces all over…

  5. Sean

    eh, quick question … am going to penang for a campus reunion later this month, and we wanna have fried porridge! u know which outlets currently serve it? there are some online reviews, but apparently some of those outlets have since closed or shifted. any other recommendations for great hawker food would be appreciated … thanks! 😀

  6. Bangsar-bAbE

    Smell of cockroach??? *gulp* T_______T

  7. Paranoid Android

    OMG! Did not know you are a fan too! I let my friend taste it and he called it cockroach tea. I can recall having some watered down version of almond tea in some HK themed coffee shop, nothing fabulous. Have not tasted the Penang ones though. Maybe it is time for a trip there.

    Supposed to give you a very white and smooth complexion hor, no wonder you have such nice skin!

  8. agentcikay

    i like mine that way too!

  9. J2Kfm

    I prefer the Indian version though. The Badam Milk. 😉
    but hey! I had desserts from this stall as well.

  10. ~Christine~Leng

    i dislike almond soup. cos i thought it smell like cockroach too. The last time i went here, i left Chris gulping down the almond soup. ;P

  11. Selba

    I have never tried (even heard) about Chinese Almond Soup… only know almond pudding which I looooovvvveeeee very much!

    I gotta try this soup when I visit Msia! Bring me, ok 🙂

  12. taufulou

    so miss that stall..espcially eat with char koey teow add mantis prawns..YUM~

  13. backStreetGluttons

    We love positive enthusiastic gourmands, think so fast and even know what to eat weeks in advance at which nomadic shop also know and what She will say one !
    OMG ! fantastic !

  14. ai wei

    i love almond soup!!!
    christine, almond soup is super great for skin 😛
    have not been here b4… wuuWuuu

    have a great weekend ya!

  15. Tummythoz

    Once upon a time long long ago when albino 'ka-chuaks' roamed the motherland. Cinamen came, saw & exclaimed, those will maketh nutritious tea that sooth throats, smooth out wrinkles and without a doubt, chase tummythoz away!

    The end.

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