Laksa

Laksa(Jawi:لقس‎) is a spicynoodledish popular inSoutheast Asia.Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns or fish. Most variations of laksa are prepared with a rich and spicy coconut curry soup or a broth seasoned with a souring ingredient liketamarindorasam gelugur.
Originating fromPeranakan Chinese cuisine,laksa recipes are commonly served inSingapore,Indonesia,andMalaysia.
Laksa is a dish ofPeranakan Chineseorigin, with a variety of ingredients and preparation processes that vary greatly by region.Because laksa has different varieties across the region, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the dish. Nevertheless, a number of laksa recipes have been developed along the trade channels of Southeast Asia—where the ports ofSingapore,Penang,Medan,Malacca,Palembang, andBatavia(now Jakarta) are the major stops along the historicspice route. The intensive trade links among these port cities enable exchanges of ideas to take place, including sharing recipes.
There are various theories about the origins of laksa. One goes back to the 15th-centuryMing Chinesenaval expeditionsled byZheng He, whose armada navigatedMaritime Southeast Asia.Overseas Chinesemigrants had settled in various parts of Maritime Southeast Asia, long before Zheng He's expedition. However, it was after this that the number of Chinese migrants and traders significantly increased. These Chinese men intermarried into the local populations, and together they formed mixed-race communities called thePeranakan Chineseor Straits Chinese.
In Malaysia, the earliest variant of laksa is believed to have been introduced by the Peranakan Chinese inMalacca.The name laksa is derived from the word spicy (辣) and grainy or sandy (沙) in theMin Chinesedialect, which denotes the spicy taste and the grainy texture (either from grinding onion, granules of fish or meat, or curdled coconut milk) of laksa, since the Peranakan Malay is a creole language that is heavily influenced by a dialect ofHokkien.
In Singapore, the dish is believed to have been created after interaction between the Peranakan Chinese with local Singaporean Malays.
Another theory is that the wordlaksais theorised to come from an ancientPersianword for "noodles".According toDenys Lombardin the bookLe carrefour Javanais. Essai d'histoire globale II(The Javanese Crossroads: Towards a Global History, 2005), one of the earliest record of the wordlaksato describe noodles was found in the Javanese Biluluk inscription dated from 1391 ofMajapahitera that mentions the wordhanglaksa.HanglaksainKawimeans "vermicelli maker".InSanskrit,laksameans "one hundred thousand", referring to numerous strands of the vermicelli. The termlaksa, orlakhshah, is also believed to have come from Persian orHindi, which refer to a kind of vermicelli.
In traditionalSundanesecommunity ofBaduyinBanten province, there is a harvest ceremony involving the making of laksa, calledngalaksaceremony.Ngalaksais a Sundanese traditional harvest thanksgiving ceremony, in which a traditional noodle-like laksa dish made ofrice flouris prepared and consumed communally.Inold Sundaneselanguage the termlaksaalso means "noodle", which is the same meaning as in Javanese Kawi counterpart.
In Indonesia, the dish is believed to have been born from the mixing of the cultures and cooking practices of local people and Chinese immigrants.Historians believe laksa is a dish that was born from actualintermarriage.In early coastalpecinan(Chinese settlement) in maritime Southeast Asia, it was only Chinese men that ventured abroad out from China to trade. When settling down in the new town, these Chinese traders and sailors set out to find local wives, and these women began incorporating local spices and coconut milk into Chinese noodle soup served to their husbands. This creates the hybrid Chinese-local (Malay or Javanese) culture called Peranakan culture.As Peranakan Chinese communities have blended their ancestors' culture with local culture, Peranakan communities in different places now demonstrate diversity according to the local flavour.
A wide variety of laksa exists in Southeast Asia, with regional and vendor-specific differences. Laksa can be broadly categorized by its two main ingredients: noodles and soup. Most preparations oflaksaare garnished with herbs. Two of the most widely used herbs aremintandVietnamese coriander, known inMalayasdaun kesumor by its colloquial namedaun laksa"laksa leaf". Another popular garnish used for many laksa recipes is the unopened flower bud of thetorch ginger, usually sliced or shredded.
Thick rice noodles, also known as "laksa noodles" are most commonly used, although thinrice vermicelli(米粉"bee hoon") are also common. Some laksa variants might use fresh rice noodles handmade from scratch, other types of noodles;Johorlaksa for example uses wheat-basedspaghetti,whileKelantaneselaksam is served with wide strips ofrice noodle rollssimilar in texture toshahe fen.
The type of Laksa is generally based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich and savourycoconut milk, fresh and sourasam(tamarind,tamarind slice), or a combination of those two.
Laksa with a rich and strongly spiced coconut gravy is typically described in Malaysia and Singapore asLaksa LemakorNyonya Laksa(Laksa Nyonya).Lemakis aMalay culinary descriptionthat specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish, whereasNyonyaalludes to the dish's Peranakan origins and the role of women inPeranakan cuisine. "Laksa" is also an alternate name used forcurry mee, a similar coconut soup noodle dish widely popular within the region which is sometimes known ascurry laksa.The most common toppings for the various versions of coconut soup laksa include eggs, deep-fried tofu, beansprouts, and herbs, with a spoonful ofsambalchilli paste on the side as a relish.
TheMalaywordasamrefers to any ingredient that makes a dish taste sour (e.g. tamarind (Malay:Asam Jawa) or tamarind slice (Malay:Asam Gelugor), which comes from a different tree despite its name). The main ingredients for tamarind-based laksa typically include shredded fish, normallymackerel(ikan kembung), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, mint leaves, laksa leaves, and shredded torch ginger flower. Preparations for tamarind-based laksa usually produce tangy, spicy, sour flavours. This type of Laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles ("laksa") or thin rice noodles ("mee hoon") and topped off withotak udangorhae ko(Penang Hokkien: 蝦膏;hêe-ko), a thick sweetshrimp paste.
InIndonesia, most laksa variants are coconut milk-based soups. Common spices includeturmeric,coriander,candlenut,lemongrass,garlic,shallot, andpeppercooked in coconut milk. Widely availabledaun kemangi(lemon basilleaf) is commonly used instead ofdaun kesumcommonly used in Malaysia and Singapore. Thinrice vermicelli("bee hoon") is most commonly used, instead of thick rice noodle ("laksa"). Some recipes might even add slices ofketupatorlontongrice cake.
The general differences between types of laksa in Malaysia;Sarawak Laksa,Nyonya Laksa,Curry Laksa,Laksa Kuah Merah,Laksa Kuah PutihandAsam Laksaare as follows:
Several laksa variants have gained popularity in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia; and subsequently international recognition. In July 2011,CNN Travelranked Penang Asam Laksa seventh out of the 50 most delicious foods in the world.A later online poll by 35,000 participants, published by CNN in September 2011, ranked it at number 26th.Singaporean-style Laksa on the other hand ranked on CNN "World's 50 best foods" at number 44th.In 2018, the Kuala Lumpur variant has been named the second-best food experience in the world onLonely Planet's Ultimate Eat list.
In Indonesia, laksa is a traditionalcomfort food; the spicy warm noodle soup is much appreciated on cold, rainy days. However, its popularity is somewhat overshadowed bysoto, a similar hearty warm soup dish, which is often consumed with rice instead of noodles. In modern households, it is common practice to mix and match laksa recipes; if traditional laksa noodle are not available,Japaneseudonnoodles might be used instead.
Laksa is a popular dish inAustralia. First appearing on the menus of eateries in cities likeAdelaidein the 1970s, the coconut soup laksa variant is considered to have been normalized as one of Australia's 'borrowed'foodwayssince the 2010s.InDarwin, laksa is commonly found in local markets. The Darwin International Laksa Festival was first held in November 2019.Alongside the noodle soup dish, variants include laksa ice cream, laksa chocolate, laksa pies and laksa dumplings.
In 2009, as part of a national food branding exercise, MalaysianMinister of TourismNg Yen Yenattempted to claim ownership for regional dishes such as Laksa,Hainanese chicken rice, andbak kut teh, and she claimed others have “hijacked their dishes”. This led to discontent with regional neighbours such as Singapore and Indonesia.Ng later clarified she was misquoted on her intention to patent the foods, and that a study on the origins of the foods would be conducted “and an apology conveyed if it was wrongly claimed.” To date, the results of the study have never been made public.