Laksa

My Singaporean friend makes the best Laksa in Town. One day I was craving for it and decided to search the web. I found this recipe from Food.com. Thank you for sharing!

Ingredients: Servings: 4

Spice Paste:

4 -5 shallots, chopped 

 6 -7 garlic cloves, 

chopped 1 piece gingerroot, peeled and chopped (Thumb size) 

 1 red chile, fresh (more or less, depending to your taste)

 1 tablespoon dried prawns or 1 tablespoon dried shrimp 

1/2 cup water Prawn or Shrimp Flavored Oil

 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 

12 raw green prawns or 12 green shrimp, shelled and divined

 Laksa Broth:

 180 ml laksa paste 

1 liter chicken stock or 1 liter vegetable stock

 400 ml coconut cream 

 320 g fish balls (optional)

 320 g fried tofu, puffs halved (fried tofu puffs)

 1 teaspoon sugar

 3 tablespoons fish sauce 

salt to taste 

1 lime juice

 160 g rice vermicelli 

350 g egg noodles 

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

 1/2 cup bean sprouts 

 1 spring onion, chopped

 1 red chile sliced 

4 tablespoons coriander leaves 

2 tablespoons deep fried shallots 

 fresh lime wedge

Directions:

 1. Shell prawns/shrimp and reserve prawn/shrimp in one bowl and heads and shells in a separate bowl. Set aside for later use.

 2. Using a food process make 'Spice Paste' add shallots, garlic, ginger, chillies, dried prawns and water. Then blend until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside. 

3. In a large pot, add vegetable oil and heat. Once the oil is hot add prawns/shrimp shells and fry for about one minute or until they turn red. Remove from pan and discard. This will add prawn/shrimp flavour to the oil. 

4. To make the 'Laksa Broth' add 'Spice Paste' to prawn/shrimp flavoured oil and fry for a minute. Add laksa paste and simmer for about two minutes. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to boil,.

5. Then add coconut cream, fish balls, fried tofu, sugar, fish sauce, salt and freshly squeezed lime juice. Bring to boil. 

6. Half fill a medium pot with water and bring to boil. Add rice vermicelli for a few minutes until they become soft then remove into separate serving bowls.

7. Add egg noodles in boiling water for five minutes or until soft and transfer into the same bowls as rice vermicelli. 

8. In the same pot poach reserved prawn/shrimp meat until it's pink then transfer them into the same bowl as the rice vermicelli and egg noodles. 

9. Pour 'Laksa Broth' into the serving bowls (same bowls as the prawns/shrimp and noodles). 

10. Then top with shredded chicken, bean sprouts, spring onions, chilli, coriander, fried shallots and serve with lime wedge's.