Asam Laksa

4.54 from 13 votes

Asam Laksa is a delightful sour and spicy noodle soup, originating from Penang, Malaysia. This iconic Nyonya dish features a tangy fish broth infused with aromatic spices. Typically served with rice noodles, it's topped with an array of fresh vegetables including lettuce, cucumber, onion, mint, and pineapple, adding layers of texture and flavor to the dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Noodles

Cuisine: Malaysian Recipes

Keyword: Asam Laksa, Nyonya Assam Laksa

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1.5 lb (750g) mackerel fish
8 cups water
5 pieces asam keping peeled tamarind
laksa noodles

Spice Paste:

15 dried red chilies
5 fresh red chilies
8 small shallots
1 inch (2.5cm) galangal
2 tablespoons belacan shrimp paste
1 stalk lemongrass

Tamarind Juice:

tamarind about golf ball size
1/2 cup water repeat 3-4 times

Seasonings:

1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 tablespoons sugar or to taste

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 torch ginger flower, cut into small pieces
1 red onion sliced thinly
1 lettuce thinly cut
1 red chili or 3-4 bird’s eye chilies cut into small slices
1 small pineapple cut into short strips

Condiment:

Heh Ko Shrimp Paste

Instructions

Clean the fish by removing the scales and guts. In a pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add the fish and boil for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish to a bowl and let it cool. Strain the fish stock, then add the peeled tamarind and polygonum leaves. Continue to boil over low heat.
Keep your hands wet by dipping them into a bowl of water regularly. Remove the flesh from the fish and discard the bones. Break the fish meat into small pieces and return it to the stock. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat.
Using a mini food processor, grind the spice paste until fine. Heat a wok and sauté the spice paste in cooking oil for about 6-8 minutes, or until it becomes aromatic and spicy. Transfer the spice paste into the boiling stock.
Extract the tamarind juice and add it to the stock. Strain the juice, keeping the seeds. Repeat this process 3-4 times, using 1/2 cup of water each time, to ensure you extract all the essence from the tamarind. Continuously taste the Assam Laksa stock to ensure it's sour to your liking. Adjust the seasoning by adding salt and sugar to taste.
In a serving bowl, add the laksa noodles and garnish with all the vegetables on top. Pour the fish broth over the noodles and serve immediately with a spoonful of Heh Ko (prawn paste).

Notes

If you can't find fresh laksa noodles, you can use dried noodles. I recommend the Mount Elephant brand “Guilin Rice Vermicelli” (象山牌桂林濑粉) found at Asian or Vietnamese stores. (In Vietnamese, it’s called Bun Bo Hue Guilin.) It has a very smooth texture and closely resembles laksa noodles, albeit slightly thinner.
Another good alternative is the Lai Fen Rice Stick (中山濑粉) from Guangdong, China, which is often available fresh in many Asian stores.
Unfortunately, Bunga Kantan, torch ginger flower, is not available in the US.
I recommend Shrimp and Boy brand Shrimp Paste.

Nutrition