Penang Assam Laksa Recipe (Nyonya Hot and Sour Noodles in Fish Soup)
February 1st, 2008 | Malaysia Guides, Nyonya Recipes, Penang Food | 64 Comments
Before I start writing this post, I have a confession to make. I have an Asian (Chinese/Malaysian) mouth. In my gastronomic dictionary, it simply means that I can’t live without rice and noodles, soy sauce, sambal belacan, spicy and pungent food–the foods of my Chinese-Malaysian root.
Just this past week, I had a massive Asian mouth attack. Granted, I savored some of the best French foods–foie gras, cheese, mussels, seafood, duck, terrine, and the list goes on. However, three days into eating meals after meals of immaculate French food, I got bored of it…it’s too heavy and luxurious for my cheap taste. No offense to French cuisine connoisseur, I wanted something without cream or butter or sauces or excessive details; I wanted something simple and straightforward such as my Asian rice and noodle dishes–Hokkien mee, fried rice noodles, steamed rice rolls, char kway teow, chicken rice, and especially Penang Assam Laksa…
On the flight back home, I knew that I had to make Penang Assam Laksa to cure my Asian mouth disease and fix my craving. So, I went to the market and assembled the long list of ingredients and made myself a small pot of Penang Assam Laksa, or Nyonya noodles in spicy and tangy fish broth/soup.
A staple–and arguably the most famous–hawker food in Penang, Penang Assam Laksa is very addictive due to the spicy and sour taste of the fish broth. Tamarind is used generously in the soup base and hence the word Assam (means tamarind in Malay). In addition to tamarind, assam keping or peeled tamarind is also commonly added to give it extra tartness. Another secret ingredient is Polygonum leaf (marketed as Vietnamese mint leaf in the United States) or daun kesom/daun laksa. While the best Assam Laksa broth is infused with the aromatic ginger flower (bunga kantan), I made without it because I couldn’t find this special ingredient in the market. Of course, no Assam Laksa is complete without belacan and dollops of heh ko/prawn paste (the dark paste on the spoon).
Anyway, my Penang Assam Laksa was spot on–hot, spicy, sour, pungent, and full of flavors. It was very delicious and as good as the ones served by hawkers in Penang. At the first taste of this Penang Assam Laksa, I felt like being home. For now, I declare my my Asian mouth syndrome sorted…*wink*
Other “rice & noodles” recipes on Rasa Malaysia:
Ingredients:
1 lb Mackerel fish
8 cups water
5 pieces assam keping (peeled tamarind)
1 pack dried laksa noodles
Spice Paste:
12 dried red chilies (seeded)
5 fresh red chilies (seeded)
8 small shallots
2 teaspoons belacan
1 stalk lemon grass (use only the white part, about 6 inches)
Tamarind Juice:
Tamarind (about golf ball size)
1/2 cup water (repeat 3-4 times)
Seasonings:
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Garnishing:
1 cucumber (julienned)
1 bunch mint leaves (use only the leaves)
1 bunch polygonum leaves/Vietnamese mint leaves (daun kesom/daun laksa)
1 bungan kantan (cut into small pieces)
1 red onion (sliced thinly)
1 lettuce (thinly cut)
1 red chili/3-4 bird’s eye chilies (cut into small slices)
1 small pineapple (cut into short strips)
Condiment:
Heh Ko/Prawn Paste
Method:
Clean the fish, remove scales and guts. In a pot, bring 8 cups of water to boil. Add in the fish and boil for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish out into a bowl and let cool. Strain the fish stock, then add in the peeled tamarind, and the polygonum leaves and continue to boil in low heat.
Wet your hands constantly with a bowl of water, pick the flesh out of all the fish and discard the bones. Break the fish meat into tiny pieces and put the fish back into the stock, cover the lid, and lower the heat.
Using a mini food processor, grind the spice paste until fine. Heat up a wok and saute the spice paste with cooking oil for about 6-8 minutes or until it smells aromatic and spicy. Transfer the spice paste into the boiling stock.
Extract the tamarind juice and add it into the stock. Strain the tamarind juice and keep the seed. Repeat it 3-4 times with 1/2 cup of water each time to make sure you extract all the essence from the tamarind. Continue to taste your Assam Laksa stock to make sure it’s sour and to your liking. For seasoning, add sugar, salt, and fish sauce.
Prepare the laksa noodles by following the packaging instructions. In a serving bowl, add in the laksa noodles and garnish all vegetables on top. Pour the Assam Laksa soup into the bowl and serve immediately with a spoonful of Heh Ko/prawn paste.
Cook’s Notes:
- For the best laksa noodles, please use Mount Elephant brand “Guilin Rice Vermicelli” (象山牌桂林濑粉) found at Asian/Vietnamese stores. (In Vietnamese, it’s called Bun Bo Hue Guilin.) It’s very smooth and exactly like the laksa noodles back home. If you are lucky, you might even find the fresh ones.
- For a good alternative, try LaiFen Rice Stick/中山濑粉 from Guangdong, China.
- Fresh rice noodles or laifen/濑粉 are available in Asian grocery stores, but I don’t like the texture: they are a tad too thick and not smooth enough.
- Canned sardines DO NOT make good Penang Assam Laksa. They make the soup base fishy and unappetizing. There is no shortcut to making great Assam Laksa, you just have to find certain freshest fish and make it from scratch.
I heard that New York-based Chef Pelaccio of Fatty Crab fame claimed Assam Laksa to be the ultimate Malaysian dish.
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Welcome back!
That’s the great thing about learning to cook– in any part of the world you can satisfy your very specific craving :p
RM, I can understand why you get bored, since I work and have to cook Western style food all the time.
Those leaves, in Indonesia, it’s known as daun laksa.
Yummm….salivating just looking at the photo and waiting for the recipe!! Luckily, recently in New Zealand, I found bunga kantan!! Thanks for the wonderful blog.
Umyousef
One true Anak Malaysia! Yum yum laksa, awesome job!
Wow those look sooo good! I know exactly what you mean about having an Asian mouth. I spent a month in Spain and by the end of it I had tried more Chinese restaurants in the town i was in than i had tapas bars. I’m going to have to make some Hokkien Mee with your recipe this week after seeing this post.
Welcome home!! Will call you this weekend.
xo, j
I would learn how to cook too.. if only i can get the ingredients.. :)
Oooooh!! Beautiful photos of one of my favourite Malaysian foods. I can almost smell it. :)
I can’t wait for the recipe. I love Assam Laksa and have been looking for a really good recipe for ages.
Thanks,
Rebekah
What beautiful photos! I know what you mean about the tastes of home. When we travel, no matter how wonderful the cuisine is [and France is about as good as it gets to me], coming home to our own kitchens is always so welcoming.
Those photos are mouthwatering!
Oh my goodness! I know exactly how you feel. I live in Paris and people don’t believe when I say malaysian/asian cuisine is the best. Nothing beats a bowl of steaming spicy assam laksa or won ton mee or rendang curry…just thinking of it is making me drool ;-)
asam laksa! i love it! yes indeed it is da’ femes (in team bsg style) hawker food in penang!
i’m sure your asam laksa is very delicious, BY, from the look of it.
aiya but pity no ginger flower as that is the ingredient i love most. in fact whenever i buy laksa i always ask them to add more ginger flower.
about this polygonum leaf – it is call ‘poo hor’ in hokkien right?
not “poo hor”!! “poo hor” is mint leaf…. if i’m not mistaken this leaf should call “chian hong” in hokkien! mostly use in asam curry
I know exactly what you mean about getting Asian cravings while in France. I enjoy French cuisine, but after a few days I also need a fix of Asian flavors, especially the heat from chili peppers!
Every time I visit Paris, I’ll end up in the Vietnamese district to get some comfort food. Plus, it’s easier to communicate in Vietnamese than in my bad French.
BTW, the polygonum leaf is rau răm in Vietnamese, a.k.a. Vietnamese coriander.
Welcome back RM!! Dude, I totally feel you on the Asian mouth thing. I mentioned this on my blog, but towards the last part of our France trip, we started eating ramen to hold us over until we got home. The first week getting home, we ate Asian food exclusively hehe.
It looks very delicious. You are a great cook. Is this the only kind of fish we use in asam laksa?
The soup looks amazing! Great photo!
The pics are amazing! Did u try the fish soup in France? It looks like laksa but without the assam flavour. I can get dried bunga kantan (by Hup Loong) here in Canada for C$2/pkt. I’ll be more than happy to send u some.
Now I am getting hungry…..
This is a thing of beauty.
You really have the magic touch for food and pictures. Nice job!
Oh my god!!!! your asam laksa looked great!! Drooling~~
I love asam laksa and have been craving for it. Never made it myself coz hubby doesnt really fancy it. I dont want to spend time and effort making it and end up eating all by myself.
awww.. wish you are one of my neighbors. >_<
Do agree when you say its not penang asam laksa with out the ‘har kou’. Happy Chinese new year!
wow, the laksa must be yummy with so much of shredded fish in the broth! (massive drooling!)
Do you think that cooking Penang laksa is tedious? I tried it once, but I’ve not been cooking it again… the whole process is just too daunting for me.. ;-)
I blog about how terrific food is abroad but secretly I eat more Chinese food when I’m traveling. Every where in France, even in remote villages we sneak into Chinese restaurants many times during the trip, even in Paris, we just can’t shake this craving for Chinese/Malaysian food. We can almost call London home because of the great Chinese food.I’m with you.
Great looking dish you made there! How many servings did you do? Seems a lot of trouble for one meal.. I admire your motivation to do this elaborate dish.
i am suddenly craving for penang laksa after viewing this post!
I LOOOVVVEEE assam laksa! Haven’t had it for ages though – and I’m too lazy to make it! I’ll just have to wait till my mum visits me again so she can make it for me! You’ve definitely given me a craving!
I have those cravings too whenever I travel but the funny thing is, whenever I’m back home, I’d get adventurous with non-Malaysian food soon after. Well …
Your laksa looks good! Still can’t find good ones in KL as oppose to those served in Penang.
I am salivating looking at your bowl of assam laksa. Absolutely lovely!
OMG … I swear, I am absolutely drooling right now..!!!
You absolutely make the best looking and I’m sure best tasting dishes. I say this because you could make an unfamiliar dish look so infinitely appealing to me!
love love love anything assam! *wink* yup, sad tht we cant find bunga kantan here. i wonder if s&k wud be able to get us some thru their ‘connection’.
i also have daun kesum and since im not as rajin as u r, i use them in my asam laksa maggi. takde real asam laksa, maggi pun jadilah kan? hehe.
I love it. You’re making me drool!
absolutely delish food!!
droooll – i can taste the tang of the tamarind in my mouth. absolutely beautiful foto
I love your assam laksa, the photo is mouth watering – I especially like the mint garnish :)
Looks delicious!!! Where I come from, our Laksa tend to be served with hard boiled egg, which I love so much and lots of Mint leaves!! Soupe de Poisson and the Laksa fish soup are different in the sense of the taste as we Malaysians tend to use a lot of spices in the aspect cooking. For them, it could be too spicy.
Next time if you go to France again, try Bouillabaisse – the traditional Provençal fish stew. It’s way better than Soupe de Poisson. Tastier and more interesting!
i so loveee laksa so much i can’t live without it! urs looks gorgeous! i can imagine the long ingredients… but its so worth all the effort! :-)
All – thanks for your comments. I love them…keep them coming.
Lucia – no, polygonum leaf is called “cham hom”, por ho is mint leaf.
Chuck – noted about Vietnamese coriander. :)
Anonymous – mackerel is great for laksa and they are not hard to find in the market.
Anonymous – thanks for your offer abour dried bunga kantan, I know those, but it’s just not the same. ;)
Cooking Hut – I know about hard-boiled eggs, they are usually offered in Malay Assam Laksa, but not Chinese ones. I love it though. I did try Bouillabaisse, it tastes like soupe de poisson with seafood…similar stock I believe. I think I still prefer Italian Ciopinno in that sense. :P
Hi(:
i’ve read & copied ur recipe, but there are a few things which i don’t understand..
firstly i stay in singapore, so most of the spices should be available in provision shops if i’m correct.
1. what’s assam keping? peeled tamarind?- so am i supposed t buy 2 tamarinds and peel one of them?
2. How do i get the tamarind juice? – do i need t pound the whole tamarind or the juice will come out once water is added?
3. Do i put the peeled tamarinds without crushing or anything in the pot?
4. Can i pre-process & saute the spices into a paste and keep it in the fridge till i need t use it, or do i have t do on the spot?
5. Where do i get fish sauce and what exactly is it?
6. What does “1 cucumber (julienned)” stand for?
…I’m looking forward to cook this dish for my mom(:
We both love penang laksa so much that we always travel t malaysia t have it(:
also, sorry for being such a bug by troubling you):
hahah i’m quite a lousy cook, so i don’t really understand the cooking terms. hee:P
THANKSSSS
christy
hollow@live.com.sg
RM, the dish looks awesome. There are so many kinds of mackerel here – Indian, American, Norwegian, Galong-galong! Can you tell me which kind is better? Thank you so much….
WOW!!! I just found your site. I haven’t had assam laksa for decades. I had recipes from Malaysia but they all are long-winded and majority of the stuff I can’t fine here in Ottawa Canada.
Your recipe is a tad shorter so I’m gonna go hunt up some of the ingredients. Probably won’t get everything but I figure something is better than NOTHING! I so miss the food in M’sia.
I tried making this penang assam laksa using your penang assam laksa recipe and they are so good.
HEY =)
i gave this recipe to my mum and she went to the tamu and markets just to find all the ingredients! Thx so much for posting the recipe!! This recipe is my mum’s fav!
hi bee yin, thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I did it last week and hubby and I both love it. He has already requested that I make it again soon:)
Made an entry in my blog with step by step pictures, hope you dont mind. http://leezihong.blogspot.com/2008/10/assam-laksa-from-scratch.html
I regret not getting all the ingredients that couldn’t begotten easily here in UK before I fly over..
Now, have to make do with the second or no grade ingredients I could find in Asia Market here :(
Gosh, looking over these pics at the middle of the cold winter night, my stomach growls for more..
Assam laksa is always my TOP 1 food..will definately make it one day, soon enough!
THanks for the recipe.
Julie,
1. what's assam keping? peeled tamarind?- so am i supposed t buy 2 tamarinds and peel one of them?
Assam keeping or tamarind slices are pre-prepared already and made from dried tamarind fruit so it's usually dried. Buying two tamarinds and slicing them won't give you the same effect, unfortunately.
2. How do i get the tamarind juice? – do i need t pound the whole tamarind or the juice will come out once water is added?
You need to buy a block of tamarind paste from your Asian store, add water and strain to retain the juice.
3. Do i put the peeled tamarinds without crushing or anything in the pot?
Dried peeled tamarinds need to be washed clean before tossing them into the pot.
4. Can i pre-process & saute the spices into a paste and keep it in the fridge till i need t use it, or do i have t do on the spot?
If you like, you can keep the balance and use it for other things like spicy sour curries and so forth.
5. Where do i get fish sauce and what exactly is it?
Fish sauce is nampla in Thai and you can get it at any Asian store.
6. What does "1 cucumber (julienned)" stand for?
Julienne is a cooking term that refers to thinly slicing items into stripes.
my most favourite penang food,even though i am a penang girl…XD
tx to have the fantastic picture here to release my enzire
I came, I saw, I cooked RM’s assam laksa and …. (drum roll) …. all my guests fought for third helpings. Can you imagine that? You just really try & believe how laksalicious this wonder recipe is. For those who lurv spicy hot, consider increase the chilli portions to suit your taste buds. And also a little more of the tamarind to give the tangy zing! RM, yours is way far better than even the Penang Hawker Fare which York Hotel flies in 10 authentic & reputable Penang hawkers to Singapore, thrice a year. I’m still waiting for your apom balik recipe, koay teow tng & ais kacang Chowrasta version. Kudos RM!
Daniel – I guess you have my work cut out for me :) Thanks!
Daniel – glad you love the Assam Laksa. You should tell York Hotel to fly me next time instead. ;)
I love your recipes! Have a question and hope you’ll be able to reply soon! Wanting to make Assam Laksa this weekend and have been craving for it.
Where do you get Bunga Kantan & prawn paste? I live in South Bay area, California. Haven’t seen any of those in Ranch or Lions, etc. Can you tell me where you find them?
Thanks so much in advance!
Paili – you can’t find bunga kantan here, I haven’t seen one. For prawn paste, you can find it at Hong Kong supermarket in Monterey Park. I actually saw them at 99 Ranch before.
Thanks! Found the Scout Boy brand you were talking about at Lions.
Are you able to get your hands on a Thai Laksa recipe. There is this Penang restaurance in Megamall in KL that serves this dish and it is super yum.
Any chance that you can get your hands on this recipe ?
Thanks
Karen
Born and raised in Penang, I am biased to only share Penang laksa recipe ;P Why do you need other laksa recipe when you got the best from Penang? :)
hey.. i love penang asam laksa .. i am not malaysian .. but i used to live in KL and every single week i came to pasar malam just to get penang asam laksa … and when i went back to asia .. i spent my time in KL and ..guess what .. in 3 days i had penang asam laksa for my lunch .. i used to make penang asam laksa but now since i move to USA .. i dont know how to find bunga kantan … ullie, can u tell me, can i get something instead of bunga kantan ? what is bunga kantan in english ? .. i tried to make penang asam laksa without bunga kantan, taste was not good at all …. :( thx !
Nancy – I don’t think we can find bungah kantan in US unfortunately. What I did was put extra Vietnamese mint leaves into the soup to make it aromatic.
Assam Keping is called Asam Gelugur (scientific name is Garcinia atroviridis). It is not the same as tamarind (Asam Jawa in Malay or scientific name is Tamarindus indica ).
Hi,
I love European food too (mostly French, Spanish, Italian and Belgian) but I do understand that after a while it can be a bit too much. The great thing about Penang and its hawker food: a very wide offer and as the dishes come in not that large portions you can go out and eat almost all day! Just returned a few weeks ago from Pg and already looking forward to our next trip.
(BTW also thanks for your steamed fish recipe – Am going to cook this with some local HK salt water fish.)
Great blog,
Cheers – JP
Hey, great recipe, just want to check one thing.
For how many pax is this for?
And how long approx will it take to prepare this dish.
Please reply as soon as possible
Thanks
It will take 2-3 hours to prepare this dish, it all depends how fast you are picking the fish from the bones.
The serving size is about 4 people, about 2 servings. Again, it all depends how big a bowl you serve.
thanks for the recipe. I love asian food. By the way, is there any way to make this taste richer? what should i do to make the taste richer? I made it last night, following all the steps, but it was missing something. It tasted diluted eventhough i added all the right amount of ingredients. By the way, does the taste change if i use ready made chilli paste?
The taste depends on the fish used, to make it taste richer, you can boil the soup longer so it thickens. Also add heh ko to the soup before serving.
I never use ready made chili paste. I made my own.