Laksa
The origin of the name "laksa" is unclear. One theory
[1] traces it back to Hindi/Persian
lakhshah, referring to a type of
vermicelli, which in turn may be derived from the
Sanskrit lakshas (लकशस्) meaning "one hundred thousand" (
lakh). It has also been suggested
[2] that "laksa" may derive from the Chinese word
辣沙 (
Cantonese: [lɐ̀t.sáː]), meaning "spicy sand" due to the ground dried prawns which gives a sandy or gritty texture to the sauce. The last theory
[3] is that the name comes from the similar sounding word "dirty" in Hokkien due to its appearance. (Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa)
