When our city’s humid haze gives way to fleeting autumn days, nothing nourishes the body quite like velvety laksa. Originating as a favorite noodle soup in Peranakan cuisine (a combination of Chinese and Malay), curry laksa combines rich coconut milk, chili, peppercorn, coriander, shallots and garlic, as well as a medley of fresh seafood, to keep you warm and rejuvenated.
This month, enjoy a cozy bowl of spicy goodness right in your own kitchen with the following full-bodied recipe. Feel free to substitute ingredients where necessary or toss in creative alternatives as you wish – this is a forgiving dish!
Ingredients:
600g shelled cockles/bloody clams (optional)
500g prawns, steamed and shelled
3 to 4 pieces soaked cuttlefish heads
200g fried soya bean cubes/tow pok (halved or quartered)
300g shredded, cooked chicken meat
500g blanched bean sprouts
600g blanched yellow noodles
300g blanched vermicelli/rice sticks
1kg grated coconut, mixed with 4 liters water and squeezed for the coconut milk to be used as main stock
Seasoning:
4 tbsp salt or to taste
1 1/2 tbsp rock sugar
Spices (finely ground):
100g shallots
25g garlic
3 tbsp coriander seeds
4 tbsp chili paste
2 tbsp sliced lemon grass
10 peppercorns
1/2 tbsp belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste) granules
Chili oil garnish:
110g chili paste
25g garlic, pounded
175ml to 200ml oil
Preparation:
1) Prepare the chili oil garnish by sauteing garlic and chili paste in oil until the chili disintegrates and the oil floats to the surface. Set aside.
2) Heat 1/2-cup oil to saute the spices until fragrant.
3) Add in salt, rock sugar and 500 milliliters general coconut milk and bring to a low boil until sugar dissolves.
4) Add in the rest of the coconut milk and tow pok.
5) When soup comes to a boil, add prawn stock and seasoning, then bring to a boil again.
6) Remove from stove and use stock as a soup for the yellow noodles and vermicelli. (Should the gravy or stock curdle, strain it.)
7) Garnish with chili oil.
> This recipe is courtesy of Executive Chef Benjamin Tan at the Crowne Plaza Guangzhou City Centre.
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