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RightFootStep
Laksa Newbie

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Joined: Sep 19, 2006

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Hi there,

This is my first post on this wonderful site - so hello to you all out there!

I must confess, I first tried a Laksa about 3 years ago (forget the type) and whinged about how spicy it was, how hard it was to eat and how you were still hungry afterwards.

My how times have changes. I gave Laksa another whirl about a month ago at Uni when I only had $5 to spend on a cold, windy autumn day and was hungry as. In the 3 years that had passed, my chili tolerance had increased somewhat and I was now A LOT more open to basically anything edible.

I lined up at the modest take away counter at Uni behind a qeue of ravenous Laksa-addicts and awaited my turn to be endearingly yelled at for my order by the overworked yet everfriendly staff. As I waited, I scanned the wall covered in semi-professional photos of the various Laksa/Soup dishes on offered at the store. The vegetarian laksa with it's $5 price tag had my name all over it. It's photo had it sitting in 'that' blue and white pattered bowl on a pink table-cloth, with the familiar Asian spoon and chopsticks poised as if ready for devouring. The Laksa broth looked a deep velvetty orange and had made it's way into every crevice of the vegetables proudly protruding the level of the soup.

I practiced the exact wording of the dish (Mixed-Vegetable-Noodle-Laksa) like a tourist lost in translation so when asked by the bustling kitchen staff I wouldn't bumble about like an amatuer.

"Next!!! What you want?" she fired at me with a sweaty half smile. "Mixed...Vegetable-Noodle-Laksa" I quipped, barely loud enough for her to hear, although years of being in the Laksa kitchen perhaps meant she could lip read.

My order was passed like a phrase in 'Chinese Whispers' from the cashier down the line of Laksa helpers, who each had their own specific job.

The one on the end picked up the thin disposable from the stack nect to her and piled in the foundation ingredients: bean sprouts and the mixed vegetables, both from an old ice cream container.

The next lady placed the half cooked vermecelli and hokkein noodles into the biggest pot of water I have ever seen and waited mere seconds before pulling them out and pulling them onto the 'foundation'. She then got a peice of tofu from the big pot of steaming laksa broth and placed it ontop of the near-finished dish.

This factory-like line of workers ran like clockwork, working on 3 bowls each at a time, and would put any military outfit to shame with their speed and efficiency.

My meal arrived at the final lady, who when noticed the subtle signal of the tofu ontop of the dish, proceeded to ladle the deep orange laksa (as opposed to just a clear broth on a tofu-less dish) and a few more tofu triangles until full to the brim.

I reached out to accept my piping hot bowl of goodness but before I could reach it, the finishing touches were added: chilli paste and fried onions for extra heat and texture.

I picked up my eating tools, squeezed a dash of lemon atop my meal and whisked my laksa away outside.

The sensations of the spicy soup with it's warm contents and the cold autum wind battled for supremeacy until I finished.

I overestimated my chili tolerance and underestimated how hot the laksa itself was. Alas, I could not finish this wonderful creation as my mouth wouldn't let me.

Although unfinished, it was ultimately satisfying and the challenge was set. I admit the latter mouthfuls were not enjoyable at all as my $5 budget did not allow for any drinks to put of the fire. But sure enough, something had begun. I felt strangely addicted to this new and challenging food.

Maybe it was the precision of it's creation, the simplicity of ordering it, seeing it made infront of you, the sublte hints of coconut and the various curried spices, the fresh crunchy vegetables or the satisfyingly chewy noodles.

Whatever it was, I'm addicted and can't stop!


Posted Sep 19, 2006, 11:17 am

ak
Official Laksa Taster

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Posts: 142
Joined: Aug 17, 2005

Hello RFS and welcome to the wonderful world of Laksa.
Thats quite an introduction but its amazing how much one dish can effect people.
And once your hooked your definatley hooked for life.
Keep the words coming and made even a review or two golbal domination by Laska could be around the next corner...


Posted Sep 20, 2006, 11:55 am