Laksa

Laksa is a spicy coconut curry noodle soup with prawns and rice noodles, a dish of Singapore that is also made in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Laksa is sold at hawker centres and coffee shops across Singapore. It is also made in Malaysia and Indonesia, where the broth and noodles differ from place to place, and the question of where the dish began is disputed among the three countries.

What it really is

Laksa is built on a spice paste of chilli, galangal and lemongrass, cooked in stock and coconut milk until the broth is rich and fragrant. Prawns are the usual protein, and they are cooked in the soup itself. Thick rice noodles sit in the bowl, and the broth is ladled over them.

Laksa is a soup, not a dry noodle dish. The broth carries most of the flavour, and it differs most from one stall to the next.

How it's served

• Hot, in a deep bowl, with the broth ladled over the noodles.
• Topped with bean sprouts and laksa leaves, a peppery herb.
• Eaten with a spoon and fork, with sambal chilli on the side.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the protein as prawns, and say whether they are whole or cut.
• Flag crustaceans for the prawns, and for shrimp paste if the spice base uses it. Say that the broth contains coconut milk.
• Name the noodle as thick rice noodles, and say if vermicelli is mixed in.
• State the heat level, since chilli is the most variable part and guests often ask for mild.
• List the standard garnish, bean sprouts and laksa leaves, and sell sambal as a separate item, since it may also contain shrimp paste.