Discover the top 5 best halal Asam Laksa in Singapore

Asam Laksa is a tangy soup made with fish and tamarind as its base. The term "asam" in Malay refers to sour-tasting ingredients such as tamarind, gelugur, or kokum. This dish often features asam keping, also known as kokum—dried slices of sour mangosteen. While the modern Malay spelling is "asam," the older variation "assam" remains widely recognized.

Key ingredients include shredded fish, typically kembung (a small mackerel), along with finely sliced vegetables like cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (laksa or Vietnamese mint), and pink torch ginger (bunga kantan). Served with either thick rice noodles or vermicelli, it’s finished with a dollop of petis udang, a rich, sweet prawn-shrimp paste.