Malaysian Laksa Lemak
Coconut milk lends a touch of sweetness to the iconic Malaysian Laksa, perfectly balancing its bold sour, salty, and spicy flavors. In this adapted recipe, shrimp paste and fish sauce are replaced with easier-to-find anchovy paste and tamari or soy sauce. For a fish-free variation of this aromatic soup, simply omit the anchovy paste and swap the shrimp for chicken or tofu.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh shrimp
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 oz rice noodles
- 1 cup shallots sliced
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1-2 lime or lemon for juice
- tamari or soy sauce
- oil
- salt & pepper
Laksa Culinary Spice Kit
- Lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, makrut lime, lime peel, chili
Optional
- anchovy paste or fish sauce
- fresh cilantro or mint leaves
- fresh chilies sliced
Instructions
Spice Paste
- In a BLENDER or small FOOD PROCESSOR, add ginger, garlic, shallots, nuts, Laksa spices, 2 tbsp tamari, and 1 tsp oil.
- Blend until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Add a bit of coconut milk if necessary.
Cook
- Prepare noodles according to package instructions.
- In a POT, heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry the spice paste for 2 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
- Add broth, coconut milk, bean sprouts, and shrimp.
- Bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes.
- Add chilies to taste (opt.) and 1/4 cup lime juice or more to taste.
- Adjust saltiness to taste with tamari or soy sauce, and/or anchovy paste or fish sauce.
Serve
- To serve, fill noodles in individual bowls and add the soup.
- Optionally, garnish with chopped cilantro or mint leaves.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Substitute shrimp with small cubes of chicken, white fish, or tofu, or mix them.
- Substitute bean sprouts with bamboo shoots or finely sliced cabbage.
- Substitute macadamia nuts with peanuts or almonds.
- Substitute noodles with cooked rice.