Singaporeans and laksa-lovers living outside of the Lion City can now rejoice! I have officially discovered the best ramen ever, and it tastes pretty much exactly like the laksa noodles that you’d find at a hawker a.k.a. street food stall in Singapore. May I introduce, “Singapore Laksa La Mian,” made by a Singaporean company, Prima Taste. For years, I’ve considered the Korean ramen, Shin Ramyun, as tops…but Singapore Laksa La Mian has taken over the #1 spot in my books.
Ever since I moved to the US from Singapore, I’ve yet to find a restaurant that serves decent, let alone authentic, Singaporean food. Even in San Francisco, where I’ve found delicious Vietnamese, Cambodian, Burmese and Indonesian food, one South East Asian country still remains left out of the food scene.
And that’s why I was so happy–no, ecstatic!–to find a DIY laksa that is not only good, but better than what I’ve found at restaurants in the US. The secret ingredient is the real coconut powder and chili paste, which is so tasty that Prima even skipped using any MSG. And instead of frying their noodles as most ramen brands do, these noodles are steamed and air-dried. The result is a chewy, springy noodle that perfectly complements the rich, spicy coconut broth.
I discovered the product sitting humbly on a supermarket shelf in Singapore, but you can also buy it online here. Needless to say, I will be buying boxes of these and taking them back to the US with me.
Never heard of laksa before? Let Anthony Bourdain explain (laksa part starts at 4:30)!
