Laksa Lemak

Laksa Lemak is a Malay coconut & noodle soup from Malacca. It’s a meal in itself; very rich & spicy & best served in deep Chinese bowls with chopsticks & a spoon to slurp up the coconut gravy.

Dietary: Gluten free, Vegan

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Spice Paste

Thumb sized piece of ginger root, peeled & chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
1 red chilli, de-seeded & thinly sliced
1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt

Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
2 large shallots, chopped finely
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 tin coconut milk (400ml)
750 ml boiling water
2 lime leaves
2 pak choy, washed & thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon sugar
½ lime, juiced

200g dried rice vermicelli

Garnish

285g plain tofu sliced in matchsticks
Handful of beansprouts
4 spring onions, sliced into rings
1 red chilli, finely sliced
Fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

Whiz the spices, except for the turmeric & salt, in a mini food processor to a smooth paste & add a little oil to ease the process or pummel to a paste in a pestle & mortar.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the oil & fry the shallots until golden. Add the spice paste, turmeric & salt & stir-fry until fragrant. Take care that the spices don’t burn.

Add the red pepper & stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk, water & lime leaves, bring to the boil, turn down the heat & simmer gently uncovered for 10 minutes.

Add the pak choy, tamari & sugar & simmer for a few minutes. Add the limejuice & season to taste.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the garnish ingredients: fry the tofu matchsticks in sunflower oil until golden & drain on kitchen paper. Rinse the beansprouts, slice the spring onions & red chilli & chop the coriander.

Soak the rice vermicelli in warm water for 3-5 minutes.

Drain the rice vermicelli & divide into 4 deep Chinese bowls. Add the beansprouts & pour on the hot soup.

Garnish with tofu matchsticks, spring onions, red chilli & coriander.