Penang asam laksa clinches top 7 spot in CNN World’s 50 Best Foods list  

CNN recently announced its World’s 50 Best Foods list and Penang asam laksa sits nicely at spot number 7, beating Thailand’s tom yam goong.

But Thai’s massaman curry is the world’s best dish. It may not be one of the country’s best-known culinary specialties, but the Thai dish has topped the list of the World’s 50 Best Foods drawn up by US TV network.

Take some chicken — if not beef or mutton — potatoes, onions and a curry paste made with cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, nutmeg and mace, and you’ve got yourself the makings of a massaman curry. This traditional Thai dish, which has Muslim roots, stands in contrast with some of the country’s more famous dishes, like the hot and sour tom yum soup with chili and lemongrass, not to mention the legendary pad Thai.

Meanwhile, the asam laksa needs no introduction. The noodles soup dish has a distinct sour or asam taste with chunks of mackerel, lemongrass, galangal, chili, torch ginger flower, mint, pineapple slices and a thick, sweet shrimp paste.

The US TV network CNN has updated its pick of the world’s best foods with a top 50 list of tasty global delights. The selection takes in flavours from around the world — a timely offering when travel is still limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Interestingly, France — a country famed for its cuisine — has no entry in the top 10. The country makes its first appearance in the list at number 21, with its traditional croissant. The classic pastry is outstripped by the hamburger, the American donut, the Portuguese pastel de nata and the shish kebab.

CNN World’s 50 Best Foods. Top 10:

1. Massaman curry, Thailand
2. Neapolitan pizza, Italy
3. Chocolate, Mexico
4. Sushi, Japan
5. Peking duck, China
6. Hamburger, Germany
7. Penang asam laksa, Malaysia
8. Tom yam goong, Thailand
9. Ice cream, global
10. Chicken muamba, Gabon

(Main and featured image: Asian Food Network)