This is the leaf used in one of Singapore's most famous dish "Laksa". There are many variations to this S.E.Asian dish, each having its own unique blend of spices and consequently leading to very different taste. For example, Penang Laksa does not use this leaf at all.
The very popular hawker snack "otak-otak" also uses this leaf.
This herb is very easy to grow. First go to the market and get a handful of the herb, pluck off most of the leaves leaving only the top un-plucked. Stick the 5-6 inch stems into the ground and water them every morning. You will soon have so much of the herb you'll want to give some away.
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Hi Joe
ReplyDeleteGreat bloc! I love the Malaysian Fish Soup (Laksa Soup) and interestingly, last weekend I ate a Penang Laksa Soup in a excellent Malaysian Vietnamese restaurant in New York that uses the Laksa leaves and also found a recipe that uses it. Maybe there are just different recipes.
I will try to grow the leaves - many thanks for your advice!
Susanne
Thanks for the information. I have a pot that was growing outside all summer and I have just brought it into the kitchen for the winter.
ReplyDeleteAs per your advice, I am going to try growing some cuttings.
Is this the same laksa leaf used in the Vietnamese salad called Goi Ga Bap Cai? I learned how to make it in a Vietnamese food workshop in the US, but I have a recipe blog in Portuguese in Brazil and would like to know how to substitute it, I was thinking on using coriander, but it looks so different...
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