The whole of Penang is in euphoria but at last count,our Assam Laksa got knocked off the list when CNNGo opened the list to public voting.
At no.7 now is Japanese Ramen.Like what?That tasteless excuse of a hot water soaked noodle?You have got to be kidding.
Penang Assam Laksa has been downgraded to 26th placing with Singapore chicken rice,tom yum and french croissant overtaking it.Rendang Indonesia is currently No.1.
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I bet no one will put this up and trumpet the Penang Assam Laksa fall from grace in any blog or paper.Instead they will still harp on it maintaining seventh spot.
Anyhow it doesn't matter,this list is NOT credible.Let's not further embarass ourselves by associating our cuisine with it.
Notwithstanding the netizen disputed CNNGo list,lucky number seven has gotten food writers (naturally it has to be the famously inept bunch listed here on this blog) all in a frenzy traversing stalls,mustering a dignified pose as their armpits burst sweatily and their heavy makeup melts while they busily slurp away under lousy rickety umbrellas in a world class rush to be THE authority,the most referred to reviewer for Penang Assam Laksa.
All good lovey dovey cottonwool reviews of course will come out of this.Just wait for it.They will be out in due time.I saw them in action.
None will be as brutal as mine.
Right.
Now take a deep breath.Come back down to earth for a second.
Some questions one would want to ask is....
Where exactly did CNN surveyors taste their Penang assam laksa ?
Was it in Penang Gurney Drive?Air Itam?or Gasp! KL???
In a hotel? Airport?Roadside hawker? or Restaurant?Someone's kitchen?
Update:
The best are of course to be found in someone's kitchen which is not accessible to all.Some Penang assam laksa home versions have been corrupted with thai laksa influence so that doesn't count.
The rest who don't have or know a great granny occassionally churning this out in her home will have to be content with the roadside hawker's offerings.NOBODY...I repeat nobody in their right mind would try this dish in a hotel.The few Nyonya restaurants here have strong Singaporean and Malaccan influence so that's a no go for me either.Anyway Nyonya laksa (anyhow cooked) sucks big time if you ask me cos it is way too rich just like the Siamese laksa.
As we all know if one is in KL it is NOT hard at all to locate stalls that purposely mislead the unsuspecting ones with the word"Penang Assam Laksa" although they are world's apart.
The most glaring difference would be this.
The KL version as well as Gurney Drive one would be as toe curlingly SOUR as broad daylight tomyam with less garnishings and helpings of salad kampung,raw sliced onions,mint and bunga kantan.(Gurney Drive's version is an exception in Penang because the hawkers got fed up of hearing complaints from KL tourists as to why their damn assam laksa was NOT sour)
The Penang recipe however,comes with a gentler sourness tempered by generous lacings of sweet sugar.
Have discounted the possibility that they are referring to the Malay or Indian version.Cos the Malay version has sliced hard boiled eggs in it with brown kesum leaves carelessly laddled out together with the soup.
While the Indian version is an acquired taste which real Penangites love to bits cos it is brain damaging hot and BITTER.
I certainly hope no Malaysian pulled a fast one on them and served them Maggi Assam Laksa with garnishings on the side.Cos although most Penangites scorn the maggi version to the point of not wanting to even touch the dish no matter how delicious it smells,add the powder to some fishmeat curry without them knowing and they will immediately give you the thumbs up.
I for one think the Maggi version is to die for.Not the noodle (horrid) but the Assam Laksa soup itself (worldclass)
Now why would I even consider maggi or even think that the reviewers might have been misled? I quote them "especially great when fused with ginger".Aiyoyooooo.Did they mean ginger flower?Bunga kantan?Beats me.
Ultimately the big question is just WHICH PENANG ASSAM LAKSA were they referring to?
