The Curry Laksa Cure

The Peranakan or Baba Nonya community of Malaysia may not always get first mention when one considers Malaysian food. 

But it would surely be a mistake to overlook Nonya cuisine because to taste and discover their cooking is like finding a diamond in the rough. It would be a shame if Malaysia were to let the Curry Laksa slip through cracks of the world food scene, so it’s about time we put it on the center stage. 

The Curry Laksa has indeed made its presence all over the globe especially during food festivals and has been received with great positivity. This dish is a Malaysian favorite and it is only right to have it represent Malaysian food. Now, the Curry Laksa comes in several forms but generally it can be described as a coconut-based curry gravy with a mix of solid ingredients swimming in it such as tofu puffs, prawns, fish cakes, cockles, chicken strips, bean sprouts, potatoes and string beans. It is best served with half a boiled egg on top as the egg yoke adds to the creaminess of the dish and the egg white compliments the texture. As you can see, this dish isn’t stingy with its contents. Since it is a noodle dish, the noodles are usually added to the bowl first and then the curry poured over it or you may also let the curry fill the bowl first before soaking in the noodles. As most liquid-based dishes, it is advisable to serve and enjoy it hot as the noodles will expand in the gravy which makes it less pleasant when eaten.

The Curry Laksa is also known as Curry Mee because of the different noodles that may be used to make the dish. It is often referred to as Curry Mee when yellow noodles are used instead of the starchy white laksa noodles. Sometimes you may even find the usage of rice vermicelli as well but this is less common. In some areas of the country, the dish is just referred to as Laksa although this may be confused for the Assam Laksa instead which is relatively different. However, differentiating the two shouldn’t be too hard as the Curry Laksa has a rich and sweeter taste compared to the Assam Laksa which is fish-based and they are dissimilar in appearance. Curry Laksa is most popular with the Malaysian Chinese community and can be found in cafes, restaurants and at hawker stalls along food lanes. In the past, it was common to make this dish with congealed pig’s blood but nowadays it’s hard to come by although some other variations may add some other pork ingredient in its place.

If you’re the adventurous type and love to attempt ethnic dishes in your own kitchen such as the Curry Laksa, do not skimp on the spices and be sure to not do a disservice to yourself by omitting the chilies. These are essential, never-to-be-dismissed parts of the recipe that should be followed to a tee to obtain that heavenly fragrance and divine flavors that is synonymous with the dish. Bad Curry Laksa will go to waste through the grinder as it will not be pleasant to eat but if you get it well and right you will undoubtedly be on cloud nine. 

If you find yourself worn down by your usual same old curry dishes and feel that you can’t stomach another day of curry, then there’s no better recommendation to fix your curry ‘rut’ so to speak, with the Curry Laksa. It’s noodles, it’s curry, it’s a whole new bowl of culinary euphoria that you don’t want to be left only reading about.