Penang Assam Laksa

 

Penang Assam Laksa has been selected as the No.2 Must Eat hawker food through an online poll on the VisitPenang website in 2009. 

Penang Assam Laksa is very addictive due to the spicy and sour taste of the fish broth. Tamarind is used generously in the soup base and hence the word Assam (means tamarind in Malay). In addition to tamarind, assam keping or peeled tamarind is also commonly added to give it extra tartness. Another secret ingredient is Polygonum leaf (marketed as Vietnamese mint leaf in the United States) or daun kesom/daun laksa. While the best Assam Laksa broth is infused with the aromatic ginger flower (bunga kantan). Of course, no Assam Laksa is complete without belacan and heh ko. 

Massaman Curry

 

This famous Thai curry is muslim in origin and can be made with either chicken or beef. It's a fragrant yellow curry that incorporates ground peanuts, lemongrass, and tamarind together with warm spices such as cardamom and fennel. Coconut milk is always used in this curry, as are bay leaves (instead of lime leaves). Like Indian curries, this curry is heavy on dry spices and very aromatic. It’s typically served with rice or roti, and sometimes with a side of ajaat.