laksa

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from the Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
• 500ml (2 cups) coconut milk
• 300g pkt dried rice noodles
• 2 single chicken breasts, steamed, sliced
• 1 pkt bean sprouts, straggly ends trimmed
• 4 spring onions, diagonally sliced
• 1/2 cup Vietnamese mint leaves
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• Fried eschallots, to serve*

Laksa paste

• 4 large dried chillies, soaked in hot water
• 3 eschallots, preferably Asian (red), peeled, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3cm piece fresh ginger
• 2 small red chillies, seeded, chopped
• 4 stems lemongrass (white part only), sliced
• 8 macadamia nuts
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon palm or brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil

How To make

1. To make the laksa paste, drain the chillies and place in a food processor with the eschallots, garlic, ginger, red chillies, lemongrass, nuts, shrimp paste, turmeric, coriander, sugar and peanut oil.
2. Whiz in the processor until everything is finely chopped and forms a paste. This paste can be kept in a glass jar in the fridge until needed.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the spice paste and stir-fry for about 5-6 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk, and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, then decrease heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Meanwhile, soak the dried rice noodles in a large bowl of boiling water for about 5 minutes until soft. Drain. Divide the noodles among serving bowls and place chicken on top. Ladle over the hot soup.
6. Garnish with the bean sprouts, spring onions, Vietnamese mint leaves, coriander and fried eschallots.

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