Laksa - unique dish with Persian twist

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Laksa is a popular tasty dish that originated from the Peranakan, an inter-marriage between the Chinese and Malay cultures which gave rise to the fusion of flavours from the ingredients used, thus this dish is very popular with both Chinese and Malay alike, and of course to the many tourists or visitors to this island who have got hooked on it.

The curry laksa is a rich spicy coconut-based noodles soup, the ingredients which may include bean sprouts, tofu (taupok), cockles, slices of chicken and egg. It is usually topped with a spoonful of sambal belacan, a fermented shrimp and chilli paste, and laksa leaf for the added zest. The Malays called laksa leaf daun kesum rather than daun laksa. Daun means leaf. Cockles' laksa is the more common type of laksa but there are other options such as those containing prawns or pieces of chicken for those who are allergic to seafood. Laksa leaf is a herb which is an intrinsic part of this dish. It has a strong flavour just like curry leaf. In Vietnam and in Thailand, laksa leaf is eaten raw as salad.

Laksa
Curry Laksa
There are variants of laksa such as asam or Penanag laksa. Penang is a state in northern Malaysia, with quite a high concentration of Chinese and Peranakan. Asam or Penang laksa is sourish fish-based noodle soup that usually contains slices of cucumber, pineapple, onions, mint, galangal, chili, lemongrass, dried lime leaves, and the bunga kantan or torch ginger bud for the distinctive fragrant and taste. Its main distinguishing ingredients is asam or tamarind which gives it a fishy-sourish taste. The fish is usually mackerel or ikan kembung.

You can get a bowl of laksa for about $5 at many hawker centres and food-courts. You ca also find laksa at some chain food outlets such as Qi Ji. Some visitors flock to Katong to get their fix of laksa. Posters of popular celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsey are plastered on walls of some of the laksa outlets in Katong. Katong is a Peranakan enclave.

Laksa Siglap at Bedok Corner
Laksa Siglap at Bedok Corner
My favourite laksa is laksa Siglap at Bedok Corner. Siglap is a precinct in the eastern part of Singapore, not that far from Katong. Maybe the original stall was from there. When I have the chance to go to Penang, Malaysia, asam or Penang laksa is a must have dish there. Incidentally the word laksa means noodle or vermicelli in Persian. A yummy uniquely local dish with a Persian twist perhaps.

If you are at Bedok Corner do check out Laksamana stall too as this stall sells different types of laksa such as laksa Singapura (Singapore laksa), laksa Johor and laksa Penang. They even have a storyboard to show these different types of laksa at the stall. Very educational indeed. Many visitors or tourists buy pre-packed laksa paste that they can bring back home as souvenirs to remind them how tasty this dish is.
Location: Singapore

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