Laksa

I'm guessing if it can be had it would have come up already but here goes....

So, while packing up my apt for my move to Logan Square this sunday I was trying to go through my Sat DVR before I give it back and get cable. I happed to be watching Bourdain's Malysian trip and it reminded me of one of my favorite noodle "soups", Laksa. This is the Malysin version of pho, typically eaten at breakfast but with far more fire, if not depth. I am farmiliar with the hot red curry version though there appears to be more than I have sampled. Thing is that I haven't had a bowl in well over a year and I spaced it when I moved back to Chicago. Anyone know where to find a decent bowl?

Stagger wrote:Anyone know where to find a decent bowl?

Stagger,

Penang, though it's been a few years since I've had Laska there.

Enjoy,
Gary

Penang
2201 S Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL. 60616
312-326-6888

Stagger,

You mean this??




This is assam laksa, made with tamarind and a fish based stock. I have not had a good version of this in Chicago yet. But it's one of those things that once you 've had the real thing everything else pales in comparison...

More pics

BUT, I did come across a line of Singapore/Malaysian package mixes called Prima Taste, and they had one for laksa. Not assam laksa though, more fish based IIRC. Just get the noodles from an asian grocery store and your protein, and it's done. It was actually quite respectable. In fact, I ate the entire thing myself in one sitting. I found it at the International Food Warehouse place out along I-55, I think it was Pulsaki.... Each packet was around $5, I think. They also had the noodles and shrimp for $2.99/lb which made it a one stop shop.

Hi,

FYI - International Food Warehouse has another name (or maybe discontinued Int'l Food), same location on Pulaski immediately south of I-55 on the west side of the road:

Five Continents
4000 W 40th St,
Chicago, IL
(773) 927-0100

Regards,

So I just read about Laksa in the New York Times and located this post about finding it in Chicago. Penang was the only restaurant suggested and due to a fire, it's not an option right now. Is there any other Chicago source for this elusive soup?

I searched menus on Menupages and got two other leads that I may try: Miss Asia in LP and Zen Noodles in WP/Bucktown.

I'd also take recommendations for Asian restaurants that serve a spicy/creamy chicken noodle soup that goes by a different name. I have dreams about the chicken curry noodle soup from Ivy Noodle in New Haven, CT.

fj123 wrote: I have dreams about the chicken curry noodle soup from Ivy Noodle in New Haven, CT.

(Off topic Alert - New Haven food)
Ivy Noodle was/is great! When I briefly worked for Pika Tapas (before it was reborn as Ibiza Restaurant, "The Noodle" was one of the few things open when I finished my 16 hour shift Fri and Sat. I used to order some pot stickers and Singapore Mai Fun-spicy or Roast Duck Noodle to take home and some cold Sesame Wonton in Hot Oil to snack on while my order cooked. It made a great dinner and early breakfast before being back in at 9am to do it again. I know the Noodle has many detractors but I thought it was a great place for New Haven.

My best friend just brought me a jar of laksa paste from Australia. I make laksa at least once a week at home now! Its inexpensive, so simple, and takes about 15 min. Here's a link to buy the paste (one jar = about 4 pots of soup if you double the recipe like I do):
http://importfood.com/cpnr0705.html

Here is the recipe as my friend taught me (we do slight variations with adding rice cake, fish cake, and experimenting with different fresh noodles -- we buy all of our extra ingredients at the Joong Boo market):
(double the recipe to serve four people)

1 can coconut milk (I use light coconut milk to cut down on the fat. If doubling the recipe you can use one can light and one can regular)

1 tablespoon of Laksa paste

½ tablespoon of fish sauce

½ tablespoon light brown sugar

1 3” stick lemongrass

1 cup chicken stock

1 pack tofu or chicken breast cut into thin strips (or handful black mussels, some shrimp, white fish cut into cubes)

Noodles (rice or egg)

Bean sprouts


Add coconut milk and laksa paste to pot, heat gently and mix

Add chicken stock, fish sauce, sugar, and lemongrass and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes

Add tofu or chicken and simmer gently until chicken just cooked thru

In separate pot boil fresh noodles, drain

Place noodles in a bowl, add laksa soup, sprinkle bean sprouts over top and serve

If you like things extra spicy you can add chile pepper flakes while the soup is simmering.

enjoy
(any further variations on this recipe would be greatly welcomed!)

So no leads, eh? I just read the NYT article and was really hoping to try it out...

No leads but I posted on my home trial of the recipe here. Pretty straight forward and I thought it turned out well (never having eaten curry mee/laksa before, I can't compare to anything). Anyone know what's in the paste?

I was also very tempted by the NYTimes article mentioned above. Sadly, Chicago is almost completely devoid of Malaysian or Indonesian cuisine. I only knew of Penang, which in all honesty, executed its dishes as well as any Malay place I have eaten at in NYC (they were all Chinese style Malay places - I have never eaten at some of the more ethnically Malay places in Queens, but I don't think that is the style Penang was/is going for).

In either case, let's cross our fingers for increased immigration (Habibi = pro-immigration!!!) from that part of the world so that Chicago can expand its already great culinary palate.

And a Yemeni place wouldn't hurt either.................

So I finally made it to Zen Noodles to try their laksa. Unfortunately, what they call laksa is not what the New York Times described. In fact, it wasn't even a soup, but it's placement under curries probably should have tipped me off to that. Here is what their menu describes the Malaysian Laksa as: "An abundance of noodles with lemon grass, chillies, ground nut, onion, chicken, shrimp, BBQ pork, beef, egg and cucumber." All of those ingredients came on a plate unmixed like a bi bim bop with a small bowl of curry sauce on the side. The curry sauce was not too spicy and not that flavorful. It tasted a little like a masaman curry. Oh well.

So, my quest for laksa soup continues. I'll be in NYC this weekend if anyone knows a good source. That Times article refers to one upscale restaurant in the East Village (Double Crown) and two places in Queens (Minangasli & Taste Good).

There are actually different kinds of Laksa, the most popular being Asam Laksa (which is from the island of Penang and sour/spicy). Other versions are Sarawak Laksa and Curry Laksa, which contain coconut milk. Has anyone tried Penang's other location in the suburbs?

Just got done watching Samantha Brown's Asia on the Travel Channel, Singapore. Did anyone else catch this episode and if so, do you know which type of Laksa this would be (and also, any place in chicago that would serve this?) in the 2 competing establishments profiled at the beginning of the episode?