Authentic laksa recipe by a Penang hawker

PENANG ASSAM LAKSA RECIPE

Recipe by Madam Cheah Siew Mooi. Boon Wah Café, 2^nd Floor Komtar Complex, 29 Jalan Penang, Penang, Malaysia.

Serves 10

INGREDIENTS

For the soup:

1kg fresh sardine/mackerel/kambong fish*, cleaned and blanched

3 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced

Bulb of 1 ginger flower, thinly sliced

8 shallots

250g belacan^

2L water

2 tbsp chilli paste

10g tamarind skin^

10g tamarind paste^

150g laksa leaves

1 tbsp salt, to taste

1 tbsp sugar, to taste

1 kg fresh rice noodles, soaked in cold water for 15min and strained

For garnish:

100g prawn paste, mixed well with 50ml hot water

300g Chinese lettuce, cut into thin strips about 2cm long

100g mint leaves

1 red onion, cut into thin strips about 2cm long

1 cucumber, cut into thin strips about 2cm long

4 chilli padi, sliced diagonally

1 pineapple, cut into thin strips about 2cm long

*Available at wet markets.

^Available in the condiments aisle of major supermarkets

DIRECTIONS

For the soup:

To serve: