Penang Green Bean Biscuits & Fruit Pickles

19.02.2011 @ Chowrasta Market, Penang Road. Chowrasta Market is one of the oldest markets in Penang. It is a two storey building right in the middle of busy Penang Road. At the front of the market are many stalls selling all kinds of fresh fruit and also pickles. Some are locally made and some are imported from Thailand, China or the Middle East. You will find exotic fruits like figs and persimmons alongside the more common local fruits like nutmeg, mango,papaya, banana, guava and many more. I can't resist the sourness and sweetness of the pickles, so i get myself some too.

It also selling all kinds of Penang Local Products as part of Penang food souvenirs to bring home. The well known products are the famous nutmeg drinks, soya sauce, dried shrimp paste @ belachan, rojak sauce, pepper homemade biscuit, all kinds of famous snacks that made in Penang and of cause the famous green bean biscuit the tau sar peah, which can never be missed!

Green bean biscuits can be found every stall at this market, the must buy food to bring home as gift. It is everyday fresh from the bakery and sent to all authorize vendors daily for selling. There are few brands can be seen and the most famous one is the "Chee Hiang" brand. I have heard and read so much about "Chee Hiang" brand and would say it is the oldest brand in town. Chee Hiang is celebrating a heritage over 155 years, i am sure that it is the pioneer brand in Penang. Chee Hiang has the largest business in town as they have few Chee Hiang Boutiques where you can visit and tour around enjoy the buying of freshly made biscuits from Green bean to other kinds of chee hiang made biscuits. I am sure everyone bring home a few boxes with them, cos i bought 2 boxes with me from chowrasta market. each box contain of 32 pcs green bean biscuits and with 2 different flavour skin, one in pandan & the other normal flavour skin. I like both. :)

Anyway, you may need to be careful with some products at this market though. some are not made in Penang but from other country and some can be found elsewhere in Malaysia. For example the Durian Paste/Durian stick & roasted peanut in tin, they are products of Thailand, and some malaysia products are the lau poh peng, coconut grated biscuits, all kinds of satay fish/sotong dried snacks, peanut candies etc.. So, be wise to choose your food souvenirs, you might never know you bought something back home where you can get it just next door. Nevertheless, The market is a "must visit" list for all tourists.