How to re-create this recipe:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
(For the Laksa Paste)
- 1/4th cup of Palm Oil
- 3 dried Thai Red Chiles (re-hydrated in warm water and then stems and seeds removed)
- 4 tsp’s of Fish sauce
- 1 – 2 inch piece of ginger (peeled and finely grated)
- 3 garlic cloves (peeled and rough chopped)
- 6 small shallots (chopped)
- 2 Tbsp’s of Lemongrass stir-in paste puree
- 2 Tsp’s curry powder
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 1 Tsp ground tumeric
- 1 Tsp ground cumin
(for the soup base)
- 3 cups of chicken stock
- 2 – 14 oz cans of coconut milk
- 2 tsp’s of brown sugar
- 2 Persian cucumbers
- 1 cup of Bean sprouts
- 200 grams of extra firm tofu (cubed)
- 20 grams of brown rice Mai Fun noodles (vermicelli)
Yummy toppings:
- 4 hard boiled eggs (halved)
- 1/4th cup of mint leaves.
- Toasted Corn nuts
- Sambal Oelek
Putting it together:
- Make the paste first by soaking the chilies in warm water for about 30 minutes until softened. While that is soaking you can prep the rest of your Laksa paste ingredients, boil your eggs for 10 minutes and soak your noodles for 8 minutes in hot water (afterwards, drain and set aside).
- Using a blender, puree all the Laksa paste ingredients (making sure to put in the fish sauce and lemongrass puree first) until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Heat your oil in a medium saucepot or dutch oven and add the Laksa. Cook the Laksa on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until the paste slightly darkens and becomes fragrant. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the coconut milk and sugar and continue to cook for another 8 minutes or so. Add the tofu and noodles and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
- When the soup is finished, ladle it into your serving bowls, add your cucumbers and bean sprouts and garnish with eggs, mint, toasted corn nuts and Sambal Oelek. Enjoy!
Nourishment for your body: Tofu is a good source of protein, as it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It is also a good plant source for iron and calcium. Tofu is a good alternative to have in this soup then meat because the coconut milk already contains saturated fat and adding meat to the soup instead of tofu would add more saturated fat then is necessary.
Tips when cooking: Curry Laksa is a soup that originated in Malaysia. This soup is very rich, spicy and deeply fragrant. If you love curry, chances are you will love this soup! I felt fortunate to have gone to college in NYC and my college friends and I would frequently eat at a restaurant called Penang. It was Malaysian and had the most amazing interior design that always made us feel transported to Asia. There was a very large wall in the main dining area with cascading water and lots of jungle greenery all around. It was sort of misty inside with dimmed lighting and our food was always served in clay pots. Making this soup reminded me of Penang. Unfortunately, since those years, the restaurant has closed in it’s SOHO location. This soup would definitely give you a taste of what would have been served there.
It is a good idea to wear gloves while handling the Red Chili peppers. If you don’t have gloves, avoid touching your mouth or eyes and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water when your done. To peel your ginger, I recommend using the back of a spoon. It is easier then a vegetable peeler to help you peel around and inside some of the crevices.