KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — We can’t get enough of laksam. Fear not, there’s no need to visit the East Coast as there are quite a few stalls around the Klang Valley that prepare a really good version.

Usually served for breakfast, the laksam is made up of various components, like the mild tasting creamy fish broth, smooth flat rice noodle rolls and a generous topping of vegetables and herbs with a dollop of sambal.

Mix it all up and enjoy the textures and flavours of the dish. In Kelantan, the laksam is slightly sweeter compared to the Terengganu version. 

With multi-component dishes, a lot of backbreaking work is needed to prepare each item. The rolls must be freshly made from a smooth batter of rice flour, wheat flour and water.

The batter is poured over a flat metal plate to form a thin layer, which is subsequently steamed till it sets. It is then removed and rolled up neatly.

The texture of the rolls should be silky with a slight bite. Just before you serve the laksam, these rolls will be cut into bite size pieces. 

The magic in laksam is the tasty fish broth. It is painstaking work but worth the effort to poach and carefully debone the mackerel fish which is ground into a fine paste with ginger, garlic and shallots.

The broth is cooked with coconut milk and the blended fish paste. Usually pieces of asam gelugor are also added to impart a slight tangy taste that serves to cut through the richness. 

For the final flourish, it is topped with a simple ulam which is a combination of finely sliced cucumber and long beans with raw bean sprouts for extra crunch. Daun kesom and torch ginger flower or bunga kantan are also finely sliced and added into the mix.

A spoonful of sambal and calamansi juice are added for some spiciness and tanginess to the creamy laksam.

Nasi Kerabu Keramat, 9, Jalan 46B/26, Taman Sri Rampai, KL. Open: 7.30am to 6pm. Closed on Fridays.

Available from 9.30am onwards, this is one bowl of laksam worth hunting down. Its broth may be a little watery but it’s incredibly tasty with chunks of young ginger. One also can’t find any fault with their smooth rolls. Our only gripe would be that they tend to be quite stingy with the topping of vegetables and herbs. Previously in the Keramat area, this stall has been around for about 14 years. 

Cik Mek Molek, Stall No. 9, Selera Wawasan, Jalan SS3/33, PJ. 

Every Monday, regulars gravitate to this stall in the food court to grab a bowl of their laksam. The broth has a mild creamy taste and it is thick with the boneless fish paste. Even though the rolls tend to be a little thicker than normal, their texture is still silky. It’s served with a generous topping of vegetables and herbs. For those who are not partial to bean sprouts, they omit it here. We also love their mild-tasting sambal with its distinct belacan flavour. Other items served here include nasi kerabu, nasi lemak and Johor laksa. 

Restoran Tuu Dok Ko 1488, Jalan Samudra Utara 2, Taman Samudra, Batu Caves, KL. Open: 6.30am to 5pm. Closed on Mondays. 

Freshness is the key to their laksam here. You see them preparing the rolls on site, from mixing the batter, steaming and rolling it up. Their version has a creamier taste with the requisite ulam topping, while their sambal packs a punch. It’s hard to choose what you want to eat here as they also serve delicious nasi kerabu, nasi dagang and nasi berlauk at the front of the restaurant every morning. 

Restoran Jaya, 15, Jalan SS5B/6, Kelana Jaya, PJ. 

Well-known in PJ for its Kelantanese fare, this quiet coffee shop serves a decent serving of laksam. The broth is incredibly watered down though but topped with a generous portion of vegetables and herbs that include lots of crunchy bean sprouts. During the weekends, they serve Johor laksa.

Restoran Hatinie, 18-20, Jalan Selendang 10/10, Section 10, Shah Alam. 

This popular Kelantan eatery is organised into various stalls that you visit to pick what you want. Once you get your order, just pay at the counter. It serves a pretty good laksam with a thick creamy fish gravy. Try and come early as it is hard to get a table here with the busy weekend crowd.