Laksa
Laksa (叻沙) is a famous Peranakan (Chinese-Malay) noodle soup from Malaysia and Singapore. The name may originate from the Sanskrit word laksha (लक्ष), meaning "many" and referring to the soup's many ingredients; the word is also the origin of the Hindi term lakh.
There are a number of varieties of laksa:
- Katong laksa, also known as laksa lemak from the Malay for 'sweet', originates from the Katong area of Singapore. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy with cockles or prawns. Katong laksa is a strong contender for the heavily competed title of Singapore's national dish.
- Penang laksa, also known as assam laksa from the Malay for 'sour', comes from the Malaysian island of Penang. It is prepared in a sour coconut gravy flavored with tamarind and fish.
- Johor laksa, from Johor state in southern Malaysia, resembles Penang laksa but the fish is pureed into the soup.
- Sarawak laksa comes from the town of Kuching in Sarawak, on the Malaysian island of Borneo. It has a base of shrimp paste (belacan), sour tamarind, garlic, lemon grass & coconut milk, topped with beansprouts, omelette strips, chicken strips, prawns, fresh coriander and optionally lime.
Laksa is usually served with thick rice noodles known as laksa noodles. Thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon) can also be used, and is in fact preferred for Sarawak laksa.
Laksa is traditionally garnished with laksa leaf (Malay daun laksa, Latin Persicaria odorata), also known as Vietnamese coriander or Vietnamese mint.
