LAKSA SARAWAK, KOLO MEE & UMAI
- Sarawak laksa (Malay: Laksa Sarawak) comes from the Malaysian state Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. It is actually very different from the curry laksa as the soup contains no curry at all. It has a base of Sambal belacan, sour tamarind, garlic, galangal, lemon grass and coconut milk, topped with omelette strips, chicken strips, prawns, fresh coriander and optionally lime. Ingredients such as bean sprouts, (sliced) fried tofu or other seafood are not traditional but are sometimes added.
- Umai is a local delicacy from Sarawak (raw fish salad). It is traditionally made with fish or prawns. It is a staple food for the Melanau ethnic group, especially the fishermen (I read somewhere that the fisherman would make umai from freshly caught fish on their boat for their lunch). It is sometimes nicknamed as "Sarawak sushi" due to the use of raw fish/seafood.
- There can be only one logical choice – kolo mee, the ubiquitous tossed noodle that has become so much part of the city folks’ life.Kolo mee is a different kettle of fish altogether. It is ‘endemic’ to Kuching, and only in recent years has it spread to other towns in Sarawak. In fact, its popularity has spread to a few eateries in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur! However, kolo mee is still hard to come by in these cities, and Kuching natives working there often crave for its simple but unique taste.Somehow, kolo mee does not taste like the kolo mee they used to eat, unless it is eaten in Kuching.
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