$3.50 for a pancake since 2011

Madam Rozaelfita sells up to 200 pancakes on weekdays, and up to 350 on weekends when there are many visitors at the bazaar.
Madam Rozaelfita sells up to 200 pancakes on weekdays, and up to 350 on weekends when there are many visitors at the bazaar. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM

A permanent fixture at the bazaar since 2011, Madam Rozaelfita Ali Amran has been keeping the price of her apam balik constant at $3.50 for a whole pancake. "I cannot raise the price lah, or my customers will run away!" the cheery 42-year-old stall owner of Apam Balik Power said. Her preparation starts at 11am daily, and she sells her signature pancakes from noon, closing only at midnight. She said she sells up to 200 pancakes on weekdays, and when there are more people on weekends, she can sell up to 350 pancakes.

Alternating between putting pancake batter on the pan and collecting payment from her customers, she lamented that the bazaar is increasingly less traditional, with the introduction of stalls selling hipster food products. "No good... must cater more to the Malays. After all, this is a Ramadan bazaar."

Sean Lim

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on June 11, 2017, with the headline $3.50 for a pancake since 2011. Subscribe