Mum’s Singapore Laksa Recipe
A homemade Singapore laksa lemak with coconut milk, prawns, chicken, dried shrimp, belacan and a fragrant rempah made from scratch.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 200 ml water
- 200 g chicken, cut into bite size pieces
- 200 g prawns (shrimps)
- 600 g fresh rice noodles or 300 g dried
- 4 handfuls beansprouts
- 5 sprigs Vietnamese coriander (daun kesum) lime leaves or fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp salt to add to the boiling pot of water
- 2 Tbsp dried shrimp soaked in very hot water for 10 minutes
Spice Paste
- 1 large onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 stalks lemongrass sliced thinly
- 5-10 dried red chillies soaked in very hot water for 10 minutes
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2.5 cm galangal 1 tsp shop bought paste
- 6 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
- 2 tsp shrimp paste toasted
- 2 tsp ground coriander
Garnish
- lime wedges
- fried tofu – just cubes of fresh tofu fried in a little oil for 5 minutes until golden
- slices of fishcake
- 4 boiled eggs halved
- cucumber julienned
- strips of Vietnamese mint (laksa leaves)
- any sambal or chilli paste
Instructions
Prep Work
- Drain the dried shrimp and either pound in a pestle and mortar or chop in a chopper. In the latter, you'll end up with a floss like result, which is perfect. If you're pounding, try and break the shrimps down as much as you can.2 Tbsp dried shrimp
- To toast the shrimp paste, watch the video.2 tsp shrimp paste
- Place the onion, lemongrass, dried chillies, turmeric, galangal, candlenuts, belacan, ground coriander and garlic in a food processor. Blend to a fairly smooth paste. The moisture from the onion should usually be enough, but add 1-2 Tbsp water if necessary to get the blades moving.1 large onion, 2 stalks lemongrass, 5-10 dried red chillies, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2.5 cm galangal, 6 candlenuts, 2 tsp shrimp paste, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 garlic cloves
Let's Get Cooking
- Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan or deep wok over medium high heat and sauté the paste ingredients for about 10 minutes until you get a wonderful cooked aroma from the paste, and the oil starts separating from the pounded paste.This is called pecah minyak. Read more about it here.2 Tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
- Lower the heat down and add the pounded shrimp, stirring well for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken and coat thoroughly.200 g chicken, cut into bite size pieces
- Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remember, don't cook on high heat when using coconut milk.400 ml coconut milk, 200 ml water
- Add the prawns, daun kesum and kaffir lime leaves, if using. Season with the salt and simmer gently for another 3-5 minutes, just until the prawns are cooked, depending on their size.200 g prawns (shrimps), 5 sprigs Vietnamese coriander (daun kesum), 1 tsp salt
Prepare the Noodles
- We are now going to blanch the noodles and beansprouts separately, then dish up. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Add 1 Tbsp salt.1 Tbsp salt
- If using dried noodles, follow packet instructions to soften, which usually involves soaking them for 10-15 minutes or so first.600 g fresh rice noodles
- Have a large Chinese strainer/skimmer at hand or something similar. Blanch the fresh laksa noodles for about 1 minute, then lift them out with a strainer and drain well.
- Blanch the beansprouts very briefly in the same water. You can also leave them raw if you prefer the crunch.4 handfuls beansprouts
To Serve - Here's how we eat Laksa!
- Divide the noodles between four deep bowls and add the beansprouts.
- Ladle over the hot laksa gravy, making sure everyone gets chicken and prawns.
- Add your choice of boiled egg, fishcake, tofu, cucumber and daun kesum.fried tofu – just cubes of fresh tofu fried in a little oil for 5 minutes until golden, slices of fishcake, 4 boiled eggs, cucumber, strips of Vietnamese mint (laksa leaves)
- Finish with sambal and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.Then feed your soul!lime wedges
Nutrition
Serving: 4Calories: 628kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 37gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 29gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 463mgSodium: 1474mgPotassium: 475mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 330IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 177mgIron: 7mg
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