Singapore Laksa
Get a tantalizing taste of Singapore for yourself with this spiced bowl of laksa. It features shrimp and tofu puffs in a rich, aromatic coconut curry broth. This flavorful soup is traditionally served steaming hot over delicate rice vermicelli noodles with crunchy bean sprouts, adding a satisfying texture to each spoonful. The shrimp heads and shells are used to create a rich and flavorful prawn stock that forms the base of this delectable dish. A blend of dried chili, red chili, dried shrimp, shrimp paste (belacan), garlic, shallot, ginger, blue ginger (galangal), turmeric root, candle nuts, and lemongrass stalk is infused into the stock, giving the dish its signature punch.
Ingredients
for 2 servings
- 8 king prawns, de-shelled
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk (400 mL)
- ¼ lb tofu puffs (100 g), tau pok, halved
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Prawn Stock:
- 8 king prawns, head and shells
- 5 cups water (1.2 mL)
- 2 cups chicken stock (480 mL)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Laksa Paste:
- 15 dried chillies
- 2 red chillis
- 3 tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste, belacan
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot
- 1 ginger, 1 in (2.5 cm)
- 1 blue ginger, galangal - 1in (2.5 cm)
- turmeric root, 2 in (5 cm)
- ¼ cup candle nuts (30 g)
- 1 stalk lemongrass
To serve:
- 2 cups vermicelli rice noodle (200 g), cooked
- 1 cup bean sprout (100 g), blanched
- 1 fish cake, sliced, heated
- 8 cockles
- 1 bunch laksa leaves
- 2 tablespoons chilli paste
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Preparation
- Remove the heads and shells from prawns and set aside in a bowl, then devein and set the prawn meat aside in a separate bowl.
- To make the prawn stock, add cooking oil to a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add prawn heads and shells then stir for 5 minutes, crushing the heads to release the flavour.
- Add water and chicken stock, then simmer for 45 minutes allowing the stock to reduce.
- Remove prawn shells then strain the broth into a bowl through a sieve.
- In a food processor, add dried chilli, red chilli, dried shrimp, shrimp paste (belacan), garlic, shallot, ginger, blue ginger (galangal), turmeric root, candle nuts and lemongrass stalk, then pulse for 5 minutes until a thick paste forms.
- Add cooking oil to a large saucepan then add the laksa paste and cook for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add palm sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk and prawn stock stirring to combine. Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes then add the prawns and tofu puffs, cooking for 3 minutes to finish.
- To serve, add vermicelli noodles to a bowl then top with bean sprouts, cockles and slices of fish cake. Ladle in scoops of the laksa making sure to include tofu puffs and prawns. Top with a handful of finely chopped laksa leaves and optional chilli paste.
- Enjoy!