LAKSA (penang Laksa - Rice vermicelli with spicy coconut milk curry broth)

LAKSA (Penang Laksa)

Rice vermicelli with spicy coconut milk curry broth

This dish is very popular in Malaysia and Singapore drawing from Malay, Chinese and Indian influences. It is usually made up of thin yellow noodles or vermicelli with spicy curry soup, chilli, coconut milk and a choice of fried tofu, fish balls, fish cakes, bean sprouts and hard boiled eggs. 

In southern Malaysian and Singapore it is called "Curry Laksa".

Ingredients

1. 1/2 oz belacan (shrimp paste) - toasted

2. 4 oz shallots (peeled and chopped

3. 2 oz garlic (peeled and chopped)

4. 2 stalks of lemongrass (white part only-chopped)

5. 1 oz dried chillis (seeded ,soaked and drained)

6. 4 fresh red chillies (seeded and chopped)

7. 1 tsp white pepper powder

8. 3tbsp coriander powder

9. 1tsp cumin powder

10. 1tsp fennel powder

11.5 tbsp oil

Stock

1. 3 cups of water from scalding shrimp and boiling 1/2 a chicken

2. 2 cups chicken stock

3. 1-3 oz rock sugar (to taste)

4. 14 oz coconut milk

5. 20 whole tofu puffs

6. salt to taste

Chilli Paste

1. 1/2 oz dried chillies- seeded, soaked and drained

2. 1 oz  shallots (peeled and chopped)

3. 3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)

4. 2 oz fresh red chillies (seeded)

5. 1 oz dried shrimp

6. 4 tbsp oil

Noodles

1. 1 packet dried rice vermicelli (soak in hot water for 15 minutes) or you can opt for yellow noodles.

Condiments

1. 1lb shrimp (cooked in stock broth, cooled and peeled)

2. 2-3 chicken breast (cooked in stock broth, cooled and sliced)

3. 1/2 lb fried fish cake - sliced thinly

4. 4 eggs (hardboiled)

5.1/2 lb long beans (blanched in hot water)

6. 1/2 fresh beansprouts (blanched in hot water)

7. 1/2/lb shallots (peeled, chopped and fried till golden brown)

8. 1 bunch green onion - diced
9.  Fresh green leafy vege (Optional)

Preparations

1. Wash the shrimp and set aside

2. Bring a pot of water to boil. ( 3 cups and 2 cups chicken stock)

3. Cook the shrimp. Drain and set aside to cool. Remove the shells and uses shrimp meat as topping.  Repeat method for chicken using the same stock.

4. Roughly cut up the fresh red chillies, lemongrass, shallots and garlic. Blend all spice paste ingredients (except oil) until fine. Add some water to aid the blending if necessary.

5. Heat the oil and fry the paste until aromatic on medium heat, for at least 5 minutes.

6. Add water (from the shrimp and chicken stock) and bring the broth to boil before adding coconut milk, rock sugar and salt to taste.

7.Bring the soup back up to just to boiling then lower the heat immediately to a simmering mode.

Add the tofu puffs and cook until tofu puffs soften and absorb the coconut soup. Stirring soup often to prevent the coconut milk from curdling.

Preparing Chilli Paste

Blend all the ingredients to a fine paste. Heat up the oil and fry the chilli paste until aromatic over medium heat, for about 5-8 minutes. Dish out and set aside.

Serving Laksa

1. Place desired quantity of noodles in a bowl

2. Add the curry together with some tofus.

3. Add toppings and serve immediately with chilli paste.

4. Mix the chilli paste well with the soup and noodles before eating.