PHT Newsletter Issue 94

Site Visit Report
Ghee Hiang Biscuit Factory

By Eric Yeoh

Despite being a Saturday, the site visit to the Ghee Hiang Biscuit Factory in Beach Street on 5th July was well attended with over 40 members and friends waiting eagerly to learn the trade secrets and sample this much sought after Penang native product. It showed that nothing comes between Penangites and their food!

Dr. Choong began the visit with a few words welcoming the group before handing over to Ms. Stephy Tam, who is in charge of the company's corporate affairs, for a brief introduction assisted by her colleague, Ms. Kelly.

For Penangites, however, Ghee Hiang needs no introduction as its famous Tau Sar Pneah (green bean paste pastry) and sesame seed oil are still very popular despite being around for the past 150 years using recipes that originated from Fujian Province, China. Inevitably, many competitors have spawned from Ghee Hiang throughout the years but Ghee Hiang's loyal customers are still going back for more as nothing can replace the distinctive taste, be it the golden brown pastry or the melt-in-your-mouth filling.

PHT members were given a guided tour of the production area by Ms. Leong, the senior food technician. Members were led to another pre-war shop lot directly behind the sales office where the production area is housed. Here, members were shown how the green bean paste is prepared, through washing, steaming, grinding and roasting by wok stirring (where sugar, salt and fried shallots are added) before a final grinding and mixing is done. Then, the paste is sent over to the second stage of the process, the actual making of the biscuits. At the same time, the dough for the pastry is prepared. Two types of dough, both water-based and oil-based, are used depending on the type of biscuits. While machines are used for these two processes, the actual making of the biscuits is still done by hand.

This labour intensive work sees workers wrapping the filling with dough and kneading it to its final shape before sending it off for baking. The baked biscuits are then left to cool under a fan before being sealed in food-grade film wrappers to ensure freshness. This also enables the biscuits to 'travel' abroad better as tasty Penang souvenirs. Finally, sealed biscuits are packed into boxes.

Apart from making Tau Sar Pneah, the factory also produces several other biscuits. Phong Pneah (light fluffy pastry with white sugar), the Hokkien version of the Cantonese Lo Por Peng ('wife' biscuit), consists of a light pastry with a deliciously melted pure white sugar filling inside. Hneoh Pneah (flaky pastry with brown sugar) is another favourite little gem with its melted brown sugar wrapped in a flaky wheat pastry. Another is Beh Teh Saw (flaky pastry with sesame seed molasses), the gooey melted molasses combined with sesame seeds (which is its strong point) with its flaky skin achieved by kneading the dough in many layers. Last but not least are Ghee Hiang's almond cookies (crispy pastry with ground almonds) which are fast becoming a crowd favourite.

The other signature product by Ghee Hiang is its sesame seed oil, sold here but manufactured at another factory in Jelutong (possible future site visit). The 100% pure sesame seed oil is the choice of generations of mothers in confinement, who believe that the 'warmth' or chi of the oil helps them regain their energy.

PHT Council member Timothy Tye commented that the current factory is actually sitting on what was then newly reclaimed land opposite the original factory site (now Queen Street). The premises moved as the original factory was most probably bombed during the Second World War.

PHT member Michael Cheah noted that the actual founder of Ghee Hiang was his great grandfather Teng Ee Boon who was survived by seven daughters and an only son. As was the custom, the business was handed down to the son who later sold it to the Ch'ng and Ooi families. Ghee Hiang Manufacturing Co. Sdn. Bhd. is managed by Mr. Ch'ng Huck Ting, who is the 4th generation of his co-owning family, while the Ooi family is represented by their 3rd generation.

Ms. Tam revealed that in order to educate customers and enhance their appreciation of Ghee Hiang's biscuits the company plans to convert part of the Beach Street sales office into a visitor centre. They have also expanded their product line over the years to include white coffee and moon cakes.

At the end of the visit, after generous trays of biscuits and cups of white coffee were sampled, the buying frenzy by PHT members and friends might have caused a shortage of biscuits! Rest assured that the factory which uses around 100kg of green beans daily in its production was able to cope with that Saturday's demands. Hell hath no fury like a hungry Penangite or a hungry PHT member for that matter!