Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of spicy laksa with rich creamy broth full of umami flavours, aromatic herbs, thick rice noodles, taupok (tofu puffs), prawns and sambal chilli. This recipe uses my easy to make homemade laksa paste but you can also use readily available store bought paste.
15dried chilliessoaked in hot water, cut into fine pieces
2red chilliscut into fine pieces
½cupdried shrimpsoaked and toasted
5clovesgarlicpeeled and minced
5shallotpeeled and cut into fine pieces
1inchblue ginger (galangal)peeled and cut into fine pieces
1tspturmeric grated or powder
4candle nuts cut into fine pieces
2stalkslemongrassbruised and cut into fine pieces
3-4kaffir lime leaves
Laksa
150gdried anchovies washed
30-40prawnsuse prawn heads to make broth or you can also use chicken bones
2.5tbspcooking oil
4cupswater
2.5cupscoconut milk
2-4tbspfish sauceseason to taste
taupok (tofu puffs)washed and cut into smaller chunks
thick rice noodles
bean sprouts
fish cakes
hard boiled eggshalfed
curry leaveswashed and used as garnish
Instructions
Make the laksa paste
Soak the dried shrimps, toast it to release the aroma, then grind it in a food processor into as fine as possible.
Soak dried chillies in hot water until soften. Save the chilli water for blending later.
Bruise the lemongrass by chopping it with the back of knife to release the oil and flavours. Then chop into fine pieces.
Chop all ingredients into as fine as possible pieces.
Blending all the laksa paste ingredients in a food processor until a smooth consistent paste is achieved. Add 2-4 tbsp of chilli water when blending to make it easier to blend. This should yield about 450g of laksa paste.
Make the laksa broth
Wash dried anchovies. Remove heads from prawns. Make broth by boiling 4 cups of water with dried anchovies & prawn heads to a reduced 3 cups.
Heat cooking oil over medium heat. Add laksa paste. Stir fry until fragrant.
Add 3 cups broth. Bring to boil.
Add 2.5 cups of coconut milk. Bring to boil.
Add fish sauce to taste. Bring to boil.
Wash and cut tofu puffs into smaller pieces. Add tofu puffs into the broth. Bring to boil and the laksa broth is ready.
Assemble the laksa dish
Cook prawns in the laksa broth until cooked and set aside. Alternatively, you can also cook the prawns in water.
Cook bean sprouts in boiling water for about 30 seconds and set aside.
Cook rice noodles in boiling water for about 30 seconds or until soften and set aside.
Slice the fish cake and heat it up in the boiling water for about 15 seconds.
Assemble the laksa dish by placing the rice noodles, bean sprouts, hard boiled eggs, prawns, fish cake. Add tofu puffs and the laksa broth.
Cut laksa leaves into fine strips and use it as garnish.
Enjoy with a scoop of sambal chilli!
Video
Notes
I have used chicken bones and anchovies to make broth, taste really good and a great alternative to using prawn heads as you need a lot more prawn heads to make a good broth.Feel free to add other condiments such as cockles, chicken pieces, fish balls as you like.
Nutrition
Calories: 551kcal
Keyword asian cuisine, chilli, curry noodles, dinner, homemade, hot, laksa, southeast asian cuisine, spicy, thai curry