Laksa

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in the Peranakan cuisine, which is a combination of Chinese and Malay cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup; either based on rich and spicy curry coconut milk, or based on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur). It can be found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia

Etymology

The origin of the name laksa is unclear. One theory traces it back to the Hindi word lakhsha, which is in turn derived from Sanskrit laksh (Devanagari: लक्ष) meaning "one hundred thousand" (lakh), referring to the vermicelli noodles used in the dish. It has also been suggested that "laksa" may derive from the Chinese word 辣沙 (Cantonese: [làːt.sáː]), meaning "spicy sand" due to the ground dried prawns which gives a sandy or gritty texture to the sauce. The last theory is that the name comes from the similar sounding word "dirty" in Hokkien due to its appearance.

Laksa is also known in Thailand as Lasae (Thai: ละแซ) or Laso (Thai: ละซอ)