Ingredient appreciation — what makes Laksa special

What sets Laksa apart is the handling of belacan shrimp paste. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the bold and complex result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Penang is considered the food capital of Malaysia and rivals Singapore for hawker excellence. The a mamak 24-hour restaurant atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had teh tarik as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Laksa is the place to start.