Penang Laksa

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Laksa is a type of noodle dish which is widely consumed in Malaysia. It uses rice noodles and the soup is mostly seafood base. There are Penang laksa which is a bit spicy and sour, Sarawak laksa which is also delicious, Johor laksa, Kelantan Terengganu laksa, and Siamese laksa. These laksa are different in taste and color. But all are delicious. 

Most of these laksa are eaten with fresh vegetables such as cucumber, basil, long beans, onion and bean sprout. Fresh vegetables are finely chopped and added just before eating the laksa.

Last 2 days I made Penang laksa. I rarely cook this, as we usually make the Kelantan laksa. Penang laksa is also easy to get, it is widely sold in the night market everywhere.

Making Penang Laksa is easy. The ingredients are not so many, and the process is simple. Soak dried laksa noodles for 30 minutes then boil them until tender. Then boil the eggs. After that prepare the 'kuah' or the soup. 

The taste heavily depends on the kuah. It must be sour, spicy, a little sweet and salty and have sublime umami taste in it. Shrimp paste and boiled fish add umami flavour in the kuah. 

The consistency of the kuah is like the consistency of soup. It is not too thick and and not too thin. 

This recipe make 4 medium bowls of laksa. I apologize there is no photo because I forgot to take one. 

Ingredients
Laksa noodles (rice noodles)
Boiled eggs
Chopped lettuce
Sliced onion
Chopped pineapple
Sliced chili (if you like spicy laksa)

For kuah or soup,
2 to 3 medium sized fish (Indian mackerel, sardine)
1 big red onion
1 clove of garlic
9 dried chilies
3 bird eye chilies
2 medium sized tamarind peels
1 palm sugar
Salt to taste
3 sprigs of kesum leaves
1/4 torch flower
1/2 cm x 1/2 cm shrimp paste
Water

Methods
Boil the fish with water just above the fish level. Add some salt.
Blend the chilies with small amount of water.
Grill shrimp paste in a pot or deep pan until it release dried shrimp aroma.
Add in the blended chilies. Cook with low to medium heat.
Blend onion and garlic until they become fine paste. 
Add onion paste in the pot. 
Blend the boiled fish with some. Separate the bone first. If you want you can blend the bone also with some water and strain the bone and just take the broth.
Add in the blended fish into the pot. 
Add in other ingredients and some water, around 3 cups. Add more water if necessary. 
Cook until the kuah boils. Taste test and turn off the stove.

Put laksa noodle in the bowl, add in boiled egg, some chopped lettuce, cucumber and onion, some chopped pineapple and the kuah. Enjoy. 

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