Malaysian Laksa - Ethnic Foods R Us

Malaysian Laksa is rich, complex and savory soup made with a spicy broth flavored with a special “laksa paste”. Adding to this remarkable culinary experience are prawns (shrimp), noodles, chicken and coconut cream. Even more delightful are the many fresh toppings served with Malaysian Laksa.

(Photo Attributed to Author: Michael J Lowe)

Malaysian Laksa Recipe-

Ingredients:

For the Spice Paste-

8 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1-1/2″ length piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped fine
1 or 2 Scotch bonnet chili peppers (or to taste)
1-1/2 tbsp. dried prawns
¹⁄₂ cup water

For the Laksa Broth-

6 oz. prepared laksa paste
1 quart chicken stock
14 oz. coconut cream
12 oz. fish balls
12 oz. extra firm tofu (chopped into small cubes and fried, ahead of time to prepare your Laksa)
1 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. fish sauce
salt, to taste
juice of 1 fresh lime

For the Toppings-

6 oz. uncooked rice vermicelli
6 oz. uncooked egg noodles
1 large chicken breast, roasted until cooked tender and shredded
¹⁄₂ cup bean sprouts
2 green onions, tough bottom ends trimmed off and chopped
1 fresh Scotch bonnet chili pepper, chopped
4 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. deep fried shallots
fresh lime wedges

For the Prawn Flavored Oil-

4 tbsp. vegetable oil
12 fresh prawns, shelled and divined

Directions:

Shell the prawns and place the meat in one bowl and the shells and heads in another bowl. Set aside for now.
Make the spice paste using a food processor. Add in the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilis, dried prawns and water. Process until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside for now.
In a large cooking pot over medium-high flame, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is sizzling hot, add prawn shells and heads and fry for about one minute or until they turn red. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and discard. You do this to infuse the prawn flavor into the oil.
Now make your Malaysian Laksa broth. Add and stir into the pot the processed spice paste along with the prawn flavored oil and fry for one minute. Add the prepared laksa paste and simmer for about two more minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add and stir in the fish balls, fried tofu, coconut cream, sugar, fish sauce, salt and freshly squeezed lime juice. Bring the mixture back to a boil.
Fill a medium-sized cooking pot halfway full with water and bring it to a boil. Add in the rice vermicelli and cook for a few minutes until they become softened. Scoop the vermicelli out with a slotted spoon, and place in a bowl.
Boil the egg noodles in the same manner in the same pot of boiling water, until soft and tender, and then scoop out and place in the same bowl as the rice vermicelli.
Using the same cooking pot and boiling water, poach the prawn meat until it becomes bright pink; then transfer them into the same bowl as the egg noodles and rice vermicelli. Stir and mix everything together well.
To serve your Malaysian Laksa, place a generous portion of the noodles/vermicelli/prawns into each serving bowl, then ladle a good helping of the Laksa broth over it.
Top each serving bowl with shredded chicken, bean sprouts, green onions, chilis, cilantro, fried shallots and one or tow lime wedges.