I'm not really a fan of Assam Laksa but since I moved to Penang island, I have decided to try out this local specialty each time we dine out at the hawker stalls.
What is Penang Assam Laksa?
Basically, Penang Assam Laksa is a bowl of rice noodles served in a tangy fish-based broth (flavoured with a tamarind, lot of local vegetables, onions, garnished with fresh mint leaves, slivers of cucumber and sweet pineapple).
You can reduce the sourness with some of the black sauce called "herr gorr" (fermented shrimp paste).
Here's an aesthetically pleasing bowl of Penang Assam Laksa I ate at a food court:
Now, compare that with THIS fantastic bowl of home-made Penang Assam Laksa my dearest neighbour's Mum passed over to me one fine evening.
Can you smell the tamarind broth? Are you salivating at the sight of the tender chunks of mackerel fish?
This has to be the BEST bowl of Penang Assam Laksa I have ever eaten!
My family (especially my kids) and I have been blessed with Chinese-style home-cooked Penang food from this lovely neighbour of ours.
That's the beauty of living in southeast Asia if you have a lovely neighbour - there's a lot of give-and-take and living in harmony.
