About "LAKSA"

Penang laksa, also known as assam laksa from the Malay for tamarind, comes from the Malaysian island of Penang. It is made with mackerel (ikan kembung) soup and its main distinguishing feature is the assam or tamarind which gives the soup a sour taste. The fish is poached and then flaked. Other ingredients that give Penang laksa its distinctive flavour include lemongrass, galangal (lengkuas) and chilli. Typical garnishes include mint, pineapple slices, thinly sliced onion, hε-ko, a thick sweet prawn paste and use of lotus flower. This, and not 'curry mee' is the usual 'laksa' one gets in Penang.

Johor laksa, from Johor state in southern Malaysia, resembles Penang laksa only in the kind of fish used but differs in everything else. Johor laksa has coconut milk, use 'kerisik', dried prawns, lemon grass, galangal and spices akin to curry. The garnishing comprises slices of onion, beansprouts (taugeh), mint leaves, Vietnamese coriander or 'daun kesum', cucumber and pickled white radish. A dab of shrimp paste (sambal belacan) is placed on the side. Finally, just before eating, freshly squeezed lime juice is sprinkled on the dish. Unlike other laksa versions, Johor laksa has an Italian connection - it uses spaghetti instead of the normal rice noodles or vermicelli.

Ipoh laksa, from the Malaysian city of Ipoh, is similar to Penang laksa but has a more sour (rather than sweet) taste. The soup stock contains prawn paste.

Sarawak laksa comes from the town of Kuching in the Malaysian state Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. It has a base of sambal belacan, sour tamarind, garlic, lemon grass and coconut milk, topped with beansprouts, omelette strips, chicken strips, prawns, fresh coriander and optionally lime.

Perlis laksa is very similar to Penang laksa and only differs in the garnishing used. Sliced boiled eggs are usually added to the dish.