Laksa Sarawak

One of the most beautiful dishes available on every street corner in Malaysia is the Curry Laksa. It is one of the noodle soup dishes and is a rich chicken coconut turmeric creamy broth with rice noodles, deep fried tofu and seafood.

There are two styles of Laksa – Laksa Sarawak from Kuching and Laksa Penang or Asam (tamarind) Laksa. The first is the recipe below and the one we are probably most familiar with.

The later is a more sour less creamy style. If you are from Penang you will claim yours is better and vice versa if you are from Kuching.

To prepare first you must make the curry paste. Roast the shrimp paste in the oven for about 5 minutes on 185 degrees. Shrimp paste (belechan) is an acquired taste and roasting it will stink your house out but it must be done. Puree all the spice ingredients, this is best done with a meat mincer with the finest blade, although a good quality food processor will do but I suggest you first chop all the ingredients as fine as possible by hand. Careful when handling turmeric as it will stain everything in your life orange. After the spice ingredients are minced fry them in a little peanut oil in a wok. This will take about 5-10 minutes but be careful not to burn them. Now add the wet ingredients and cook for a few more minute. This paste will last for a week in the fridge and longer in the freezer.

To construct the Laksa first soak some rice vermicelli in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Strain and place into the serving bowls with a little cooked shredded chicken and a sliced hardboiled egg. In a hot wok fry the Laksa paste with a little peanut oil. Add the chicken stock, ginger flower and coconut milk then boil. Adjust the seasoning with salt/sugar/chicken stock powder and the dreaded MSG. Drop in the deep fried tofu, an absolute must for Laksa, a bought one is fine. Turn down the heat and poach some prawns until nearly cooked, about 2 minutes, then finally add some scallops and cook for about another minute.

To serve add the bean shoots, Vietnamese mint, coriander and Thai basil to the bowls. Pour over the soup, seafood and tofu. Garnish with a small Malaysia lime (calamansi or kastouri) sliced red chilli, chopped peanuts, fried shallots and a spoonful of sambal Penang - see char kway teow recipe. This is one of the sexiest breakfasts you will ever eat.

Curry Laksa “Kuching” style

Paste – spice ingredients
10 shallots (peeled)
10 cloves garlic (peeled)
4cm galangal
4cm turmeric
4cm ginger
12 red chillies
8 stalks of lemongrass
½ cup dried shrimp
1 ginger flower

Paste – wet ingredients
4 limes, juice only
¼ cup Vietnamese mint, chopped
50ml coconut milk/soya bean milk (adjust depending on thickness)
Salt/sugar/chicken stock powder

Soup – per portion
Small hand full rice noodles
1tbs cooked shredded chicken
1 hardboiled egg
Beanshoots
Corriander leaves
Thai basil
Vietnamese mint
3 large green prawns
3 large fresh scallops
Salt/sugar/chicken stock powder
4 pieces of deep fried tofu
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup coconut milk