Laksa

I was in Singapore when i tried Laksa for the first time. This, and risotto, are probably the two most significant dishes that made me want to learn to cook. I make my Laksa vegetarian. However, this book has a number of excellent recipes for Laksa with seafood or chicken.

here is my adapted version. Of course, this is a Sri Owen book.

For more recipes from this book click here.

Ingredients:

Paste for the laksa:

2-6 red jalapeños, cut in half and the seeds removed. These are spicy, so watch out. These are now available at Safeway or Marina Market.

6 shallots, chopped

3 garlic cloves

10 blanched candlenuts or almonds

1 heaped teaspoon ginger paste

2 teaspoons of galangal

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste (optional).

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons tamarind extract,

1/2 cup oil.

Method:

Grind all the ingredients, including the coriander, in a blender to a smooth paste, using as little water as possible. The smoother the paste, the better.

Add oil to a pot, then add the paste and tamarind, and cook on a medium-high flame. A medium flame until dry, and the paste begins to fry and turn reddish-brown. You should see the oil start to separate from the paste. Be patient and stir almost continuously; it takes time and is messy. The final paste will be like play-dough with a shiny, oily, beautiful reddish colour.

I make 3-4 times the recipe and freeze the paste in Ziploc bags for up to one year.

For the laksa soup:

Coconut milkLow-sodium chickenn stock or water

Extra firm tofu

Edamame

Bamboo shoots

Baby corn

Mushrooms - shiitake, or other fresh Asian mushrooms

Chicken breast or thigh filets, diced into small pieces.

Fish and shellfish of your choice: fish filets, red snapper, tilapia, salmon, prawns, clams, mussels, crab meat, other

Bok choi, diced

Cilantro leaves, 1/2 bunch of only leaves, diced finely

Egg noodles of your choice, thin or thicker.

Accompaniments:

Scallions, cut into fine rings

Quail eggs

Enoki mushrooms

Mongolian hot oil

Thai pickled red bird’s eye chiles

Laoganma spicy chilli crisp (these are all available at Marina)

Crunchy garlic chilli topping

Method:

Add 3-5 tablespoons of paste to a deep pot and a touch of oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the pieces. Add the chicken and cook in the paste for 5 minutes, until the chicken is sealed and coated with the spices.

Add the coconut milk and some water. I use a 1 can of coconut milk to 1 can of water/chicken stock ratio, but you can make it more or less coconut-flavoured based on preference. Simmer for 30 minutes to make the chicken very tender. The chicken at this point should shred easily between your fingers, and the iols should be floating in small bubbles on the surface.

Add all the vegetables to the seafood and simmer gently for 10 minutes, without boiling. Add the desired seafood and cook for an additional 5 minutes until just cooked and the prawns have curled. . If using clams and mussels, add them to the soup right before you serve and simmer gently until they open, about 5-7 minutes.

Turn off the stove, add the bok choi and cilantro, and stir. Do this just as you serve the dish, as you don’t want the bok choi to get mushy; they should be crunchy, but cooked.

Cook the noodles and serve on the side.

Lay out the ready soup, the noodles and the accompaniments and allow each person to make their own bowl.