The Singapore-specific coconut laksa in which the thick rice vermicelli is cut short so the whole bowl can be eaten with just a spoon. Traced to the Janggut stall in Katong, named after the east-coast neighbourhood itself.
Katong laksa is the Singapore-specific variant of laksa, traced to the Janggut stall in the Katong and Marine Parade neighbourhood. It is built on a coconut-lemak curry gravy, but its defining feature is that the thick rice vermicelli (bee hoon) is cut into short lengths so the whole bowl can be eaten with just a spoon, no chopsticks. It is explicitly distinct from Penang assam laksa (tamarind, sour) — this is the lemak, spoon-only, Singapore-defining version, named after Katong itself.
A rich, orange-tinted, coconut-creamy gravy that is spicy, faintly sweet and deeply prawn-flavoured, the cut-short noodles drinking it up, cockles and prawns scattered on top. Eaten with a spoon in a few bites, it is the concentrated essence of Singapore laksa.
The rempah of dried chilli, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, candlenut and dried shrimp is fried until the oil splits, then coconut milk and prawn stock form the gravy. The defining Katong touch is cutting the noodles short, so they sit in the gravy and the bowl is eaten with only a spoon. The cockles and prawns are added at the end, the laksa leaf (daun kesum) for its citrus-resinous aroma. The gravy must be thick enough to coat the short noodles.
Variations
A richer version adds more coconut milk. Some stalls top with fish cake slices.
On the Palate
Where Katong Laksa sits in the Singaporean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
6 steps · 30 min
- 16 min
Soak 200g thick rice vermicelli (bee hoon) in water 20 minutes; drain, then cut into 5cm lengths with scissors.
- 210 min
Pound 8 dried chillies, 6 shallots, 2 stalks lemongrass, 2cm galangal, 4 candlenuts and 50g dried shrimp into a rempah.
- 310 min
Fry the rempah in 4 tbsp oil over medium heat 8 minutes until fragrant and the oil splits.
Watch outFry the rempah until fragrant and the oil splits and pools red at the edges — that split is the sign the paste is properly cooked out.
- 48 min
Add 400ml coconut milk and 200ml prawn stock; bring to a simmer; season with salt and a little sugar.
Watch outReduce the gravy until it's thick enough to cling to the short noodles — too thin and it just pools under a spoon.
- 55 min
Add the cut noodles and cook 3 minutes until tender.
- 65 min
Ladle into bowls, top with blanched prawns, cockles, fish cake slices and laksa leaf; serve with a spoon only.
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