Laksa Penang - slurpy, sour, sedap!
just when you think we’ve run out of laksa recipes
we recently came across a volunteer barber who spares his time cutting hair for the low-income elderly folk in the heartlands. as a gesture of thanks to his service an unwavering support towards the community, we thought it fit to make him his favourite dish form his travels - Laksa Penang.
for Mark Yuen, Laksa Penang is more than just a meal — it’s a taste of his youth. the rich, spicy broth and fragrant noodles take him back to afternoons spent with friends and family, laughing over bowls of noodles and sharing stories of simpler times. each spoonful is a reminder of the warmth, community, and connections that shaped him.
now retired, Mark carries that same spirit forward in a different way. he dedicates his free time to giving free haircuts to the elderly and bedridden across Singapore, bringing not just grooming, but companionship and care. just like the comforting bowl of Laksa Penang, Mark’s presence brings joy, nostalgia, and a sense of belonging — reminding us that small acts of love and attention can leave the deepest impact.
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Laksa Penang (Asam Laksa)
(serves 6 to 8)
1kg whole ‘kembong’ fish (Indian mackerel)
3 pieces ‘asam keping’ (dried garcinia)
1.5 litres water
asam laksa paste:
8-10 shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic
20 dried chillies, soaked in hot water to soften
3 fresh red chillies
2 chilli padi
10g belachan, lightly toasted
water, to blend
1/2 a pineapple, cubed and blended into a ‘smoothie’
1 litre water
2 tbsp tamarind paste/pulp
1 tbsp sweet shrimp paste (petis udang)
salt, to taste
accompaniments:
6 portions sago laksa / thick beehoon
3-4 boiled eggs, halved
2 torch ginger flowers, thinly sliced
1 bunch laksa leaves, sliced
1 bunch mint, picked
1/4 pineapple, diced
4 chilli padi, sliced (optional)
2 tbsp sweet shrimp paste (petis udang)
2 Japanese cucumbers, julienned
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 head coral lettuce, sliced
6-8 calamansi, halved
directions
combine whole kembung fish with 1.5 litres water and garcinia into a pot. bring it up to a simmer on low-medium heat and skim any scum which floats onto the surface. cover pot and let the fish poach for 10-15 minutes.
strain out the fish and let it cool on a plate. strain out any solids from the poaching liquid and set aside. this will be your fish stock to use.
using a spoon, scrape out all the flesh, discarding the head and bones. combine the fish meat with 1 cup of the fish stock in a blender and purée until smooth, set aside.
blend all the asam laksa paste ingredients until smooth. in a pot on medium heat, combine the paste with 1 litre water + the rest of the fish stock. bring to a boil and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes. then, mix in the blended fish, pineapple smoothie, tamarind paste and petis udang. cover and let the the broth simmer for another 10 minutes. season with salt and black pepper to taste. the broth is now ready.
to assemble blanch noodle according to packaging instructions and place in a bowl. pour over the chunky laksa broth. lay on the garnishes, according to preference.
if you’re looking for recipe of other laksa types, here they are!:
Curry Laksa Fishball - hearty, rich, shiok!
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as far as ‘laksa-type’ noodle dishes go, this is one of the easiest to prepare! unlike a Nyonya-style or Katong laksa which requires making a prawn stock beforehand, a classic Singaporean/Malaysian Curry Laksa has the pungency and spice forwardness of curry powder taking centre stage, while still being creamy, mild and light with the addition of coconut…
the OG Singapore Laksa - Laksa Siglap a.k.a ‘Laksa Singapura’
when talking about Singapore’s forgotten dishes, Laksa Siglap comes to mind. overshadowed by the more popular “Katong Laksa” which shares similar geographical origins (Siglap and Katong being localities in the southeastern coast of Singapore, next to each other)
