Think Katong laksa is Singapore's original laksa? Meet laksa Siglap, its lesser-known predecessor

Long before Katong laksa became a Singaporean icon, another dish simmered in the kampungs of Siglap. Laksa Siglap, with its robust, fish-and-kerisik-based broth and handmade noodles, offers a gastronomic glimpse into an older Singapore. "Laksa Siglap belongs to the same pedigree as laksa Johor or laksa Riau," said Khir Johari, author of The Food Of Singapore Malays. He calls it Laksa Singapura in his book, noting, "it was our first laksa."

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Laksa Siglap belongs to the same pedigree as laksa Johor or laksa Riau.

Its gravy is typically laced with Spanish mackerel and topped with cucumbers, beansprouts, and julienned herbs. This contrasts with the more common Katong laksa, which journalist Azimin Saini observed, "Where was the familiar fish broth and why was the rempah so… thin? All the delicious herbs and greens that make it a bright dish to have at lunch were also absent."

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it was our first laksa

Saini, who grew up eating his mother's laksa Siglap, realized Singapore had two distinct types of laksa. "Both are delicious and unique in their own way," he stated.

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When I first tried Katong laksa, I didn’t get it. Where was the familiar fish broth and why was the rempah so… thin? All the delicious herbs and greens that make it a bright dish to have at lunch were also absent.

Johari further explained that "laksa" refers to the rice-and-sago noodles used in the dish, similar to how "mee" describes noodles in other dishes. The noodles themselves have diverse origins, with "mee" coming from Southern China, dried vermicelli from Thailand (hence mee Siam), and "laksa" possibly originating from Persia, where it meant "vermicelli, macaroni, or long slices of paste put into broth."

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It was then that I realised it was a different type of laksa, that in Singapore we have two types and not just one. Both are delicious and unique in their own way.