Closely related to other laksa varieties, Sarawak laksa is characterized by a subtle, mild flavor. Consisting of a flavorful chicken or shrimp-based broth that is seasoned with thick laksa paste, which sometimes includes more than twenty different ingredients, the soup is accompanied by vermicelli noodles, shredded omelet, cooked prawns, and shredded chicken.

Spicy sambal and lime are traditionally served on the side. The origin of Sarawak laksa is still unclear, but it is believed that the dish appeared when Goh Lik Teck began to offer his noodle dish along Kuching’s Carpenter Street in 1945. According to popular belief, the thick paste used in the dish was popularized by the Tan family from Kuching, somewhere between the 1960s and 1970s.

Tan Yong Him experimented with herbs and spices to create a basic paste, which he later distributed under the brand name Swallow. The product was soon picked up by many vendors, who then included Sarawak laksa on their menus. Today, it is a signature dish of Sarawak and the city of Kuching.