Laksa Lemak Recipe |
Ingredients: Serves 6-8 |
1.2kg thick rice noodles 500g fish cake, sliced ½ cup shelled cockles 500g shrimps 625g bean sprouts, root ends removed 1 cucumber, peeled, cored and shredded a bunch Vietnamese mint (daun kesom), finely shredded Spice Mix: 2-cm piece of turmeric 2-cm piece of galangal (lengkuas) 15 dried red chilies 5 red chilies 6 candlenuts (buah keras) 2 tablespoons shrimp paste (belachan) 250g shallots 1 tablespoon ground coriander 60g dried shrimps 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salt Gravy: 1 cup oil 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised (use only the bottom white tender part) 2 cups coconut milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar |
Method: Blanch the thick rice noodles in boiling water until they are cooked but not soggy. Remove, plunge in cold water, and drain in a colander. Blanch the bean sprouts in the same water, then remove and drain. Cut off and discard the leaves of the lemongrass. Trim off the root end and bruise the white stem with the flat of a cleaver. Grind the spice mix in a food processor to obtain a fine paste. Set aside. Boil 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cook the shrimps in this liquid. Strain and reserve the stock. Shell and de-vein the shrimp and slice them in two along the spine. Set aside. To make the gravy, first heat the oil in a large pot. Fry the prepared spice paste together with the lemongrass until the oil rises and the spices are fragrant. Add the reserved shrimp stock and the coconut milk. Bring this gravy to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, then leave to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Place the bean sprouts and vermicelli in individual serving bowls, adding the shrimp, fish cake, and cockles. Pour over the simmering sauce, and garnish with cucumber and Vietnamese mint. Laksa comes in many versions, defined by the style of the gravy and named for the place where it is found. The version above is the one found in Malacca that features a rich coconut milk gravy. |
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