Writing this article has been a bit of a revelation. I've discovered that though most Malaysians absolutely love laksa in all forms and tastes, many actually do not know what goes into their bowl (me included).

Indeed, this is one dish that almost every nook of Malaysia has its own version. Essentially in a broad sense laksa are noodles in a spicy-savoury broth. And this ranges from very fishy to santan-rich. So to start off our laksa month, here's a brief guide to all the wonderful laksas to be had.

Curry Laksa

Lowdown: A rich curry broth, with tofu fat from soaking up spices and fresh mint to cut through the richness. Those who love it, love it thick with cockles still red from the taste of the sea. Chicken slices should be tender, just barely cooked.

In the Bowl:
Broth: What differs this from curry mee is the use of mint in the broth. The broth can be thickened with pig’s blood but the kosher version swirls in extra sambal and santan.
Noodles: Yellow noodles or meehoon
On top: Shredded cucumbers, tofu, long beans, prawns/ chicken with mandatory cockles.
On the side: Sambal made from oil, chillies, gula melaka and salt ground into a paste with lime at the side.

Assam Laksa

Lowdown: One word. AWESOME. Broth is fishy and sour and I love mine riddled with chunks of fish and though I don’t like bunga kantan, when it’s cooked in the broth it somehow brings it all together. And of course no assam laksa is complete without the otak udang (hae ko), a pungent-sweet black paste made from prawns. This is what makes it so good....

In the Bowl:
Broth: Made from ikan kembong, sardines or ikan belanak. To make the broth, you boil the fish first, then flake it. This is then cooked with tamarind water and blended ingredients (usually consists of belacan, chillies, turmeric, lemongrass and shallots). The fish is left in chunks giving the broth a heady fishiness that is addictive. The bunga kantan and daun kesum is added at the end to the broth then simmered.
Noodles: Rice-based laksa noodles
On top: Cucumber, pineapples, onions, chillies and mint.
On the side: The wonderful, black as sin, hae ko.

Laksam

Lowdown: Seriously, the only place to have this dish is in the East Coast where the fish used is alive just a moment ago. Though it uses very little ingredients compared to the other laksas, this is all to bring out the freshness of the fish. The best is when the fresh and citrusy taste comes from the fish itself and not from the use of lime.

In the Bowl:
Broth: A white, rich gravy made predominantly from fresh blended fish and santan.
Noodles: The thick noodles are a combination of rice and wheat flour, made from steaming the batter in a sheet on top of a pot lid. After it’s cooled, its rolled and cut into fat ribbons.
On top: Raw ulam like cabbage, green beans, beansprouts, daun kesum and bunga kantan. They will also add a dollop of basic sambal on top.


Clockwise L-R, Assam Laksa, Laksa Johor, Sarawak Laksa, Laksam, Curry Laksa, Laksa Lemak, Laksa Utara

"Just what goes into your bowl of laksa?"

Sarawak Laksa

Lowdown: Sarawak laksa is spicy with a strong briny flavour. Much of it is down to a special paste that makes the foundation of the stock. It must have sambal belacan on the side and lime to squeeze in the broth before eating.

In the bowl:
Broth: The broth itself is made from a paste (Swallow brand is the best) mixed with water into a stock then chillies, santan, belacan and soy sauce is added to give it kick.
Noodle: Coarse beehoon that holds its shape in the broth.
On top: Strips of omelette, beansprouts, prawns and chicken strips (must be breast meat). It’s then garnished with parsley.
On the side: Sambal belacan and lime.

Nyonya Laksa

Lowdown: Specifics of this recipe is handed down from one generation to the next. This is a fragrant laksa with the heat coming more from the spices used rather than chillies. It's also quite rich using quite a lot of santan.

In the bowl:
Broth: Melaka Nyonya laksa uses a chicken stock made from boiling chicken bones. Spice like ground dried chillies, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric with belacan, dried shrips and santan is fried first before the rest of the ingredients are added. It's cooked with fishballs, fishcakes and beancurd. It differs slightly from a Penang-style Nyonya laksa called Laksa Lemak which is a combination of Thai-style and assam laksa that uses a lot of fish.
Noodles: Mix of meehoon and yellow noodles.
On top: Cucumber, chillies, taugeh, spring onions, boiled eggs, chickens, prawns, cockles and daun kesum.

Laksa Utara

Lowdown: This is what you may call a poor man’s laksa because it's made from ingredients that are around the area and cheap. The main fish used is ikan temenong. This small fish normally gets caught in a fishermans net together with other 'expensive' and gets either thrown away or sold off cheap. The taste is very fishy but tasty with laksa.

In the bowl:
Broth: The broth is mainly fish and tamarind juice with assam keping and daun kesom. There’s also no frying, everything is just boiled together.
Noodles: Rice based white strands.
On top: No frills, just onions and boiled egg.
On the side: At the side is a sambal kelapa which is spicy not sour just shredded coconut with pounded chillies and a little sugar.

Laksa Johor

Lowdown: This is one of the richest and most time-cosuming of all laksas to make. It has over 20 different ingredients, boiled, blended and simmered into a most amazing robust, spicy, fishy broth. The labour intensiveness of this laksa makes it an ideal meal to prepare during family gatherings where you can set your relatives different tasks.

In the bowl:
Broth: The fish of choice is ikan parang a delicious fish full of fiendish bones (so you need someone to peel all the flesh out). Then you need to fry everything till fragrant and it contains chillies, curry poweder, rempah ratus and it's the only laksa that uses kerisik.
Noodles: The only laksa that uses spaghetti.
On top: Shredded cucumbers, taugeh, onions, green beans, bunga kantan, daun kesum, mint, and Thai basil.
On the side: Hot sambal belacan, lime and sometimes with jeruk masin (chaipo).