Curry laksa sans curry.
Unlike versions from peninsular Malaysia, the noodle soup that's native to the coastal city of Kuching, on the island of Borneo, gets its major kick from sambal belancan. That chili-laden toasted shrimp paste stained and spiced Aunt Christina's dense coconut-milk soup base, which was further tweaked with some (unknown to me) combination of lemon grass, garlic, galangal, and the like. Additional sambal, and a sliced calamansi, orbited close by.
This rendition of sarawak laksa (rm 5.50, about US$1.75 at the time) also boasted a tangle of rice noodles topped with prawns, slices of chicken, strips of omelette, and bean sprouts. I would have been happy, however, to make a meal of the rich coconut "gravy" alone.
Aunt Christina's
Inside Kedai Makanan Nam Chun, Lorong Ara Kiri 2, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Open till early afternoon; closed some Wednesdays
(From a summer 2010 visit)
