Laksa Recipe | Curry Laksa | Homemade Laksa Paste | Made From Scratch Recipe

coconut milk

🥗Healthier: light coconut milk

💰Cheaper: evaporated milk

Light coconut milk reduces calories while maintaining creaminess.

prawns

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: canned tuna

Canned tuna is more affordable and still provides protein.

laksa paste

🥗Healthier: homemade spice blend

💰Cheaper: curry powder

Homemade blends can be healthier and tailored to taste.

tofu

🥗Healthier: tempeh

💰Cheaper: seitan

Seitan is often cheaper and provides a meat-like texture.

Soak 1/2 cup dried shrimp in water until softened. Squeeze dry the water. Toast the dried shrimps on a pan over medium heat to release the aroma, then grind it in a food processor into as fine as possible.

Soak 15 dried chillies in hot water until softened. Cut into smaller pieces. Optional to remove the seeds if you prefer less spicy. Save the chilli water for blending later.

Bruise 2 stalks lemongrass by chopping it with the back of knife to release the oil and flavours. Cut off the top one-third and the root part. Remove the outer layer. Then chop into fine pieces.

Cut 2 red chillis into smaller pieces. Optional to remove the seeds if you prefer less spicy.

Cut 5 cloves garlic, 5 shallots, 1 inch blue ginger (galangal) into smaller pieces.

Remove stem from 3-4 kaffir lime leaves and cut into smaller pieces.

Add all the laksa paste ingredients in a food processor, add 1 tsp turmeric and 4 candle nuts. Add 2-4 tbsp of chilli water when blending to make it easier to blend.

Blend until a smooth consistent paste is achieved. This should yield about 450g of laksa paste.

Wash 150 g dried anchovies. Remove heads from 30-40 prawns. Make broth by boiling 4 cups water with dried anchovies & prawn heads to a reduced 3 cups.

Heat 2.5 tbsp cooking oil over medium heat. Add laksa paste. Stir fry until fragrant.

Add 3 cups broth. Bring to boil.

Add 2.5 cups coconut milk and 2-4 tbsp fish sauce to taste. Bring to boil.

Wash and cut 10 taupok (tofu puffs) into smaller pieces. Add tofu puffs into the broth. Bring to boil and the laksa broth is ready.

Cook prawns in the laksa broth until cooked and set aside. Alternatively, you can also cook the prawns in water.

Cook 2 cups bean sprouts in boiling water for about 30 seconds and set aside.

Cook 6 portions fresh thick rice noodles in boiling water for about 30 seconds or until softened and set aside. Note: You can use (the dried type) rice vermicelli if you can't get thick rice noodles. Hydrate the rice vermicelli in water until softened before heating it up in boiling water.

Slice 1-2 fish cakes and heat it up in the boiling water for about 15 seconds.

Cut 1 bunch curry leaves into fine strips to use it as garnish.

Assemble the laksa dish by placing the rice noodles, bean sprouts, 3-4 hard boiled eggs, prawns, fish cake. Add tofu puffs and the laksa broth. Garnish with curry leaves. Enjoy with a scoop of sambal chilli!

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens