Laksa Penang

I often wonder, among so many dishes, why I never make laksa penang? I think the last time I cooked laksa penang was more than a decade ago.

So during the long Hari Raya break, I decided to cook enough for us to eat. I bought 1 kg of ikan kembung from Pasar Borong. Cleaned them and boiled them with asam keping and salt. Once they were cooked, I took the fish out and let them cool before I start peeling the flesh.

And then it struck me. This is why I never bother to cook my own laksa penang..huhu! The whole process of “fleshing” took me about an hour, and that was only for about 15 ekor ikan kembung..sigh! Imagine if I were to do it for 2-3kg of fish. And then after all the flesh out process, I pounded the bones and heads and made a stock from it by rinsing the bones with the air rebusan ikan earlier.

But the outcome of the home cooked laksa was simply worth it. Oh, since I used laksa kering brand Eka, note to myself, it has to be boiled for about 30 minutes unlike the usual noodles (mee kuning) or bihun which only need to be blanched rather than boiled. It is best if you start boiling the laksa at the same time as you cook the kuah laksa so that by the time the kuah is ready, the laksa is ready to be eaten as well. I was told by my SIL later that there is such thing as laksa basah sold in wet market that does not take long to be boiled.

Will I cook laksa penang anytime soon? I would if there’s any special request from Hubby..hehe! But will I cook laksa for others to eat? No, I don’t think so. 1 kg of ikan to be processed is the limit!