Chef-tested recipe
Penang’s famously sour, spicy and herbal noodle soup, made with flaked fish, tamarind, chilli, torch ginger and thick rice noodles.
Penang asam laksa is very different from coconut-based curry laksa. Its broth is light in body but intensely flavored with fish, tamarind, lemongrass and aromatic herbs, then balanced at the table with fresh vegetables and a small amount of dark shrimp paste sauce.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 40 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Total Time
- 1 hour 40 minutes
- Cuisine
- Malaysian, Penang
- Course
- Main Dish, Noodle Soup
- Best Served With
- Serve immediately with fresh pineapple, cucumber, onion, mint and a restrained spoonful of hae ko.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Large stockpotpaid link
- Blenderpaid link
- Fine strainerpaid link
- Noodle potpaid link
Ingredients
- 800 g whole mackerel or sardines
- 2 L water
- 120 g dried red chillies, soaked and deseeded to tastepaid link
- 180 g shallots
- 25 g belacan, toasted
- 3 lemongrass stalks, tender portion sliced
- 25 g galangal
- 50 g tamarind pulppaid link
- 2 Vietnamese mint or daun kesum sprigs
- 1 torch ginger bud, finely sliced, optional but traditional
- 20 g palm sugar Shop paid link
- 12 g saltpaid link
- 700 g thick laksa rice noodlespaid link
- 150 g cucumber, julienned
- 120 g pineapple, thinly sliced
- 100 g red onion, sliced
- 80 g mint leaves
- Dark hae ko shrimp paste sauce, optional, to serve
Preparation Overview
Poach the fish, reserve the stock and flake the flesh. Blend the chilli-aromatic paste, simmer it with tamarind and herbs, return the fish, then ladle the sharp broth over rice noodles and crisp garnishes.
Method
-
Poach the fish gently in 2 L water for 12 to 15 minutes. Lift out, cool, remove bones and flake the flesh. Strain the stock.
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Blend chillies, shallots, toasted belacan, lemongrass and galangal into a fine paste.
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Return stock to the pot. Add the paste, tamarind pulp, Vietnamese mint and torch ginger. Simmer 30 minutes.
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Add flaked fish, palm sugar and salt. Simmer another 15 minutes. Adjust until distinctly sour, savory and spicy.
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Cook rice noodles according to package directions and divide among bowls.
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Ladle over hot broth and fish. Top with cucumber, pineapple, onion and mint.
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Serve with a little hae ko on the side if using.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Remove fish bones carefully before returning the flesh to the broth.
- Tamarind strength varies; adjust in small additions.
- The broth should taste assertive because the noodles and vegetables soften its intensity.
Tips and Variations
- Mackerel gives a rich, traditional fish character.
- Do not replace Vietnamese mint with ordinary mint in the broth; ordinary mint is better reserved for garnish.
- Prepare the broth a day ahead for deeper flavor.
Storage
Refrigerate broth separately from noodles and garnishes for up to 2 days. Reheat to a simmer before serving.
Nutritional Value
Approximately 460 kcal, 30 g protein, 61 g carbohydrate and 10 g fat per serving.
Allergen Notes
Contains fish and crustaceans through belacan and optional hae ko.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Penang laksa coconut-based?
No. Penang asam laksa is a tamarind-based fish soup, unlike creamy curry laksa.
