What meal is more appropriate on Sarawak Day than the iconic Sarawak Laksa? Laksa has been a Sarawakian staple for years past and years to come. It is synonymous with the gastronomical identity of the state. However, though it is widely enjoyed, there is not one taste of laksa that is everyone’s favourite. In fact, everyone who enjoys the delicacy has their own preferences.
What’s your favourite?
A good bowl of laksa is subjective. There isn’t just a popular favourite. Rather, everyone had their own favourites. Each and every bowl made by different hands has its own distinctive characteristics. Some may prefer it with thin broth, some with more eggs, or some with extra prawns.
Sarawak Laksa is gastronomically synonymous with the state. Unlike laksa from other parts of Malaysia, Sarawak Laksa is known for its spicy, savoury prawn broth. With laksa, it is all about the crustacean.
So how do I like my laksa? I prefer a balance of broth, not too thin or too thick. Not too light, not too creamy. The flavour should be savoury — a combination of both salty and sweet. It must be a little spicy too, but not too much as it tends to mask the prawny taste. I love the eggs thick-sliced, with no shredded chicken or beansprouts, accompanied by fresh juicy prawns. That, to me, makes a great bowl of laksa.
But that is my take on laksa. Recently, I approached several laksa addicts and asked them to share their favourite takes on Sarawak Laksa. And true enough, every one of them has different opinions on how and where they like their laksa.
Husband and wife, Fabian Hee and Belle, both enjoy a bowl almost every day. “It is unique. You don’t get to taste good food like this everywhere. I’m just lucky to be from where Sarawak Laksa is from,” said Belle.
Comparing the prices, the full-time mother said the servings can either make you angry or happy. “I like to try different laksa stalls. But I don’t want to pay RM14 for a bowl of disappointment. My favourite is Chong Choon’s Poh Lam’s laksa.”
According to Belle, Poh Lam’s laksa has a flavourful broth. “To me, it does not matter if the broth is thick or thin, as long as it is flavoured well. Chicken and egg shreds must be on top. And of course, the most important part of it all — the prawns. These sea creatures either make or break the laksa,” said the 37-year-old.
Meanwhile, Belle’s husband, Hee, revealed that laksa is the reason he is married today. “I always went for breakfast with friends. One day, a friend invited me to go for laksa. So when we got there, he was with a girl. And that was how I met my wife.”
Although today he mostly follows the cravings of his wife, the web developer has his own favourite laksa place located in King Centre. “I just like it as it is. Most importantly, the broth is not too thick but is still full of flavour. To me, a good bowl of laksa doesn’t need extra belacan to enhance its taste!”
Meanwhile, professional yoyo performer and emcee Ryan Han prefers his laksa without prawns as he is allergic to seafood. “I’m allergic to shellfish — prawns, crabs, mussels, and so on. Although laksa broth has the essence of the prawn shell, I am okay as long as I squeeze a lot of lime juice into it,” said the 34-year-old.
His favourite laksa is at MJC Batu Kawa, at an eatery called the Old Bank Note Coffeeshop. At times, he would also enjoy the delicacy with wantan or kolo kueh tiaw. “When you mix them into the laksa broth, it feels ‘heavenly’,” Han added.
A Sarawakian in Amsterdam
Born and raised in Kuching, 31-year-old Jamie Ding had recently moved away from the land of laksa to Amsterdam once she had gotten married to her Dutch husband. Being in a foreign land made her crave more of her favourite bowl of laksa. “When I was in Kuching, I would enjoy a bowl almost every Sunday. I share the love of laksa with my brothers as we often try out different eateries and share our thoughts about them.”
Reminiscing about her favourite bowl, Ding said she loves one that is spicy and has big, juicy shrimps with no bean sprouts. “The laksa from Choon Hui is my ultimate favourite!”
However, once she moved to Amsterdam, there was nothing comparable to laksa there. “My Dutch husband shares the love of laksa with me. We craved it so badly, not only for the taste of laksa per se but also for the Kopitiam-vibe.”
As they were 10,000 kilometres away from Kuching and had no access to laksa, Ding’s husband proposed that they cook the delicacy so they could have it whenever they wanted. “So we went to an Asian supermarket in Chinatown, Amsterdam, and surprisingly had no issue in acquiring all the required ingredients. Price-wise, it was okay as eating out in Amsterdam was more expensive in comparison.”
The experiment to satisfy their cravings took five hours to make. According to Ding, the end result was a success after following a recipe found on the internet.
“We made a total of 24 portions and deep froze them. We then invite our Dutch friends over to eat them together on a Sunday morning. We just used up the last portion a few weeks ago and are looking forward to making new batches!”
The mother of one disclosed that their Dutch friends enjoyed laksa. “We’ve only been receiving positive remarks. The Dutch enjoy spicy foods due to the influence of Indonesian and Surinamese spices,” she explained.
A taste from the past
Recalling his very first laksa bowl back in the 50s, Francis Phang said he often enjoyed it with his late father back in the day. The bowl was sold at an old eatery on India Street. “The laksa broth was similar to today’s laksa. Well, maybe a little bit thinner with a small amount of finely shredded chicken, tiny slices of fried eggs, a few slices of thinly sliced prawns and coriander. It was very nice.”
According to him, the laksa of today is more concentrated in flavour. “Though previously the broth was lighter in flavour, it is still delicious,” said the 69-year-old. Asked how much a bowl of laksa then, Phang said it cost 50 cents. “And 50 cents was a lot of money back then!”
Meanwhile, many on the Facebook page ‘Kuching – Then and Now’ recalled having one of the first laksa at a shop on Carpenter Street called Min Heng Coffee Shop. Operated by a person with the surname Goh, it was said that he sold laksa since the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s. Though he has retired, his laksa remains in the hearts of many.
A laborious process
Eating is easy, but preparing a laksa from scratch is a whole different ball game. It is laborious and time-consuming. A good bowl lies in the effort and energy spent by its cook. According to laksa seller Bartholomew Pang, preparing laksa broth can take him more than two hours.
The broth would be cooked the night before to be sold the next morning.
“Although I would boil the broth earlier, I won’t add in the coconut milk until I want to sell it. This is to preserve the broth longer.”
Pang’s daily routine starts at 5 am when he wakes up to heat the broth. Then he will head out to the market to purchase fresh bean sprouts, coconut milk and prawns. He would arrive at his stall in King Centre at 6.45 am. “There, I’d heat the water for 30 minutes while I fried and sliced the eggs. Then, I would wash the bean sprouts and clean the prawns. After that, I’m all set to serve my customers.”
At night, he would be busy in the kitchen preparing the broth and belacan. Although it is hard work, Pang continues his hustle as it is his passion to prepare flavourful laksa for his patrons.
A good bowl of laksa is satisfying and will make your day better. So, have you had your favourite bowl of Sarawak Laksa yet?
