Penang Laksa

Penang Laksa

Penang Assam Laksa–commonly referred to as “laksa” by Penangites–is one hawker food you don’t want to miss if you come to Penang. (Georgetown, Penang is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.)

This Laksa is not to be confused with the other Laksa–a coconut-milk and curry-flavored noodle dish. Penang Laksa is a noodle dish in spicy fish broth topped with various shredded vegetables. Give me a choice of Penang Assam Laksa and Curry Laksa (which Penangites aptly call “Curry Mee“), I will always choose this tangy, spicy, sour, and appetizing dish. The reason is simple: nothing gives me a better satisfaction than a bowl of piping hot Laksa with cut bird’s-eye chilies and dollops of pungent heh ko (Penang-style prawn paste). All the ingredients used might seem odd and bizarre to many–please believe me when I say this–but they are perfect matches made in food heaven. Penang Laksa is really that good…

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