cooking this month

this fasting month, i realised i dont like to try new recipes for dishes, especially asian cooking. because my taste bud is on leave pre-buka...

the last time i tried something this month it was more on the bland side. i figured that when it comes to dishes, the recipes always say 'secukup rasa' or 'to taste', i'm not very good at it (that's why i prefer to bake! precision precision is more my thing) and i have to say in the family i must have the blandest taste bud. the husband likes it spicy and hot, the parents like it saltier. the amount of salt people add when they cook shock me and i usually get indigestion when i have too pedas food...soo actually i fnd it even more challenging now that i have to 'agak' the taste without getting to taste a few scoops ( i have to do that because the one small scoop to taste somehow fails me)


anyway this is my first ever try on penang laksa.


i never really liked penang laksa or perhaps never had any good ones here until i went to penang a few years back. the first trip there, my ex-colig tkhoo, got his penang friends to contact me, and i had a wonderful time being shown around by the locals (we even went hiking up a hill) and going around the local hangouts. and one of the best things about that was having some good penang laksa.

and the second time i went there, i brought my friends to the good laksa places. the ones at the roadsides are the good ones..the dirtier the better..

i dont remember having penang laksa eversince i got back here..or i just cant find any..but i remembered the laksa i had then. my mil tried making this a month ago..hers was somewhat different from the one i remembered i had in penang. she learnt it from a cook in malacca so maybe the one she has is a variation or laksa johor? is it similar?

but anyway i got hold of two recipe books and searched for recipes online. there are indeed variations..so i took the one in the recipe book and combine with some elements from the online recipe.

the adventure began when i went to tekka market in the morning. i've never been to the wet section of the tekka market alone. but my mum was not free, so i tried to get hold as much information from her on where to get the stuffs i need.

especially the more unfamiliar ingredient like the 'torch ginger bud' (the pic up there) or what is known in malay as bunga kantan. the recipe says no substitute for this....

anyway, it wasnt as complicated as the long recipe make it seem. the gravy turn out to be the nice colour, with the right amount of 'residue' that is the right amount of fish meat in it as how i remembered the laksa i had in penang. and i am partial to food with herby greens, so the garnishing of laksa leaves and mint together with the newfound ingredient, sliced bunga katan made it more flavourful. the husband recommended that i add the pineapple garnishings earlier in the gravy to make it sweeter...hmm actually i forgot to tell him..that i forgot to add sugar in the gravy. oh and we din have the petis..forgot to buy,or rather i wasnt too sure what to make use of it after we used the tiny amount for this dish. i tink it would be nicer with that too :P

anyway, i was suppose to invite someone for the buka puasa/dinner..sorry it didnt happen..hahahah errmmm..coz the recipe is on trial okay..once i have it bettered, you'll get to try :)

the recipe is very long..and i have the pic of my penang laksa..but i think i'll put them up later...