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From the kitchens of South-East Asia
comes a noodle dish (laksa) that is fast gaining a foothold in the
international food scene as a delightful dish that seems to have endless
variety to cater for every taste and fancy.
If sushi secured Japanese food a solid
spot in the world cuisine scene, laksa is helping promote South-East
Asian food around the globe. The word laksa is said to be from Sanskrit
that means 'thousands' or 'many', perhaps an indication of the many
ingredients that go into the pot in cooking it. Laksa dishes are
becoming famous and you are bound to have seen it in cookbooks and
magazines. Delis and food halls around the world carry tantalizingly
labeled jars of laksa paste, often erroneously selling one particular
flavour as the definite laksa paste. The dish may turn out great but be
assured that your discovery of the laksa-out-of-a bottle is only at the
very fringes of this hugely popular fish.
The laksa is basically a noodle dish that
is eaten any time of the day. The noodles and gravy that are used for
each type define the name and characteristics of the dish. To the basic
noodle and gravy, a host of accompaniments such as meat, seafood, tofu
and vegetables are added, making the dish a complete single-bowl meal.
From creamy, spicy concoctions to tangy, sour soups, the laksa pays
homage to the creativity of the cooks who match the noodles, ingredients
and gravy according to the herbs and spices available at hand. And since
it is quite a humble dish, laksa is enjoyed by all and caters to just
about every taste and preference.
Strangely, Singapore is often credited as
the birthplace of laksa. Almost every country in South-East Asia has a
minimum of one laksa dish per country. There is the Nyonya (Straits
Chinese) laksa from Singapore, Siamese Laksa from Thailand, Bali Laksa
from Indonesia, and Mohingar and Kao Soi from Burma. And if you embark
on a quest to uncover more laksa dishes, every country will have its own
delightful version. Malaysia alone has several different types that
reflect the diversity of laksa dish and the local preference to certain
flavors, tastes and textures.
Penang Island in Malaysia is known as a food paradise, with hawker food
being extremely popular. From this epicurean island comes Assam Laksa, a
mouthwatering sweet and sour laksa that will make you salivate simply
thinking about it. Assam means sour in Malay as the dish's distinct
ingredient is tamarind that provides the integral flavor to the gravy.
The gravy us a thick soup made of flaked kembung fish and tamarind
extract. Lemon grass, laksa leaves (polygonum leaves), torch ginger buds
and chilies add bite to the robust flavor. The gravy is ladled into
bowls of rice noodles that are garnished with mint leaves, pineapple
slices, cucumber and sliced onions. An essential addition to the Assam
Laksa is the hey-koh, which is a thick and sweetish prawn paste.
Curry Laksa and Nyonya Laksa are Chinese
adaptations of the Malay curry dish. Curry Laksa is essentially a noodle
dish served with a coconut cream-based curry, and topped with shelled
cockles, prawns, hardboiled eggs, bean sprouts, fried tofu and fresh
herbs like mint leaves or laksa leaves; served with sambal belachan
(shrimp paste chili dip) and a slice of lime. Very simply, a bowl of
noodles topped with any kind of accompaniment and doused with a
curry-based gravy will give you an inkling of what Curry Laksa tastes
like. Nyonya Laksa differs
slightly; the curry is richer and is served with fish cake, shrimps,
bean sprouts and topped with cucumber, laksa leaves and sliced torch
ginger buds. The Malays call it Laksa Lemak, referring to the coconut
cream that creates the rich gravy. The enticing aroma of the curry and
coconut is simply irresistible and the dish has found its way into many
international cookbooks and Asian menus.
From the southern state of Johor in
Peninsula Malaysia comes an almost peculiar laksa dish that cannot be
found anywhere else in the region. Rich, robust and delicious, the gravy
is also curry based with additional ingredients such as roasted,
desiccated coconut (kerisik), dried prawns, lemon grass and galangal. In
addition to the onions, julienne cucumbers, laksa and mint leaves,
purists will only use pounded tenggiri (mackerel) fish to thicken the
gravy. But the peculiarity lies not in the fish but the type of noodle
used. Laksa Johor strictly uses only spaghetti. The Western ingredients
in this Eastern dish is believed to have been created due to the
connections and dealings the royal family of Johor and with Western
traders and colonialists in past centuries.
The laksa that hails from Sarawak is
vastly different in taste and texture, though the basic structure of the
stock is the same. The stock carries a peculiar pungent-spicy taste that
isn't similar to other curry-based gravies. This is attributed to the
use of select spices such as cinnamon, star anise, shrimp paste,
tamarind, garlic, lemon grass, coconut milk and candlenuts. The paste is
easily available in packets in Sarawak and is boiled together in a stock
of prawn shells and fish bones. Rice vermicelli is the preferred noodle
for this dish and it is garnished with omelette strips, bean sprouts,
shredded chicken meat and fresh coriander leaves.
The states of Perlis and Kedah too have
their own versions though the laksa there are variants to the basic
Assam Laksa and Laksa Lemak. The fish gravy is known to be less sour
with the addition of grated coconut mixed with green chilies to reduce
the tang. Sliced hardboiled eggs are also added to the dish. In the East
Coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu, Laksam is popular. Rolls of
flat rice noodles are sliced up like little rosettes and a super thick,
fish gravy is ladled onto the noodles. Traditionally, Laksam doesn't use
any curry spiced to flavor the gravy and relies purely on fish, coconut
milk and herbs for flavor.
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