Penang Asam Laksa

On the 21st August is my elder son T.K's 14th birthday (which I mentioned in my last post Birthday Party) and he preferred to celebrate on the 22nd which most of his friends can attend his party. I have planned the guest list (40 persons) and menu list much earlier so that the dishes are different from the previous party. The main dish is Penang Asam Laksa and "Loh Mai Fun" or Sticky Rice as named by my children. Sticky rice is actually steamed glutinous rice with dried shrimp and mushroom cubes. Bread rolls or Capsicum Rolls is a finger food which is very popular among the young children because it is very cheesy and taste like mini pizza roll.

Fruit Rojak (mixed fruits) is one of my favorites because you don't have to really think what fruit to serve. A mixture of raw papaya, pineapple, guava, raw mango, cucumber and turnip. Dip them with the famous Kelantan Rojak Fruit Sauce. I serve lemon jasmine tea (light and sweet) and desserts was dragon fruits pudding and sago kuih. Not forgetting the birthday cake which was a 12" x 17" chocolate moist cake top with chocolate whipping cream. This is my first time baking such a big cake and it turned out to be not bad. On his 7th year old birthday, I baked him a 9" round chocolate banana cake.


This was my first time preparing Asam Laksa for 40 servings. I bought 4 kg of Ikan Kembong from Tg. Sepat. The Asam Soup should be prepared one day earlier. This Asam Laksa recipe is from Bro. H.W.Tan of Kajang Buddhist Centre. His mother used to sell Asam Laksa in Kota Baru, Kelantan. He and his family were invited for the party and he commented that the Laksa was 70% successful for a first timer and even his children said it was not bad!

Boil "asam pei" (dried tamarind skin), "lengkuas" (galangale), "serai" (lemon grass), "bunga kantan" (wild ginger bud) and lots of "daun kesom" (polygonum) in a big pot. You can boil the "ikan kembong" in the same pot. Scoop up the fish to remove the fish meat and later smashed the fish head and bones for further reboiling. Boil the stock for 1 hour or more and strain the stock.

Prepare the chili paste by grinding soaked dried chili, lots of small onion, "serai" and 'lengkuas'. Add the chili paste, "hay kor" (prawn paste), "belacan" (dried shrimp paste), "asam jawa" (tamarind) , salt, sugar and flaked fish to the boiling strain stock. Boil laksa noodle in another pot till cooked and strain and add a bit of oil to prevent them from sticking together.

For garnishing, slice cucumbers, pineapples, big onions, "bunga kantan" and 1-2 teaspoons of diluted shrimp paste to be added to the "asam" soup. Do not forget mint leaves without them the Laksa will not taste like Penang Asam Laksa although some don't like them. Add some lime if you like it sour. Keep the laksa stock simmering over very low heat because the garnishing and noodles are usually cold and it taste when served hot.

Brother HW Tan gave some tips to improve the Penang Asam Laksa and he commented that it is ready for taking orders. Not a bad idea!

Have fun and be happy! ♥