malaysianlaksaprawnpescatariannoodle-soupcoconutspicy

Laksa Lemak

Name: Laksa Lemak
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 15 ml neutral oil; 70 g laksa paste; 8 g belacan; 80 g shallot, thinly sliced; 10 g garlic, finely chopped; 10 g ginger, finely chopped; 500 ml water; 400 ml coconut milk; 15 ml fish sauce; 5 g sugar; 120 g rice vermicelli; 200 g raw prawns, peeled and deveined; 100 g tofu puffs, halved; 100 g bean sprouts; 10 g mint leaves; 1 lime lime, cut into wedges; 20 g red chilli, roughly chopped; 5 g belacan; 15 ml lime juice; 3 g sugar

Laksa Lemak is a rich, fragrant coconut curry noodle soup with sweet prawns, sponge-like tofu puffs and a warming, spicy finish. Fresh mint, crisp bean sprouts and sharp lime balance the creamy broth, while sambal belacan lets each bowl be as fiery as you like.

45 min

2 servings

800 kcal

Malaysian

Ingredients

Laksa broth

15 mlneutral oil
70 glaksa paste
8 gbelacan
80 gshallot, thinly sliced
10 ggarlic, finely chopped
10 gginger, finely chopped
500 mlwater
400 mlcoconut milk
15 mlfish sauce
5 gsugar

Noodles and toppings

120 grice vermicelli
200 graw prawns, peeled and deveined
100 gtofu puffs, halved
100 gbean sprouts
10 gmint leaves
1 limelime, cut into wedges

Sambal belacan

20 gred chilli, roughly chopped
5 gbelacan
15 mllime juice
3 gsugar

Instructions

1
Bring a kettle or saucepan of water to the boil for the noodles and bean sprouts. Meanwhile, slice the shallot and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Pat the prawns dry so they poach cleanly, and halve the tofu puffs so they can soak up the broth. If your belacan is firm, crumble it finely for easier dissolving.
2
Make the sambal belacan: pound or blend the red chilli and belacan to a coarse paste, then mix in the lime juice and sugar. The sambal should taste hot, salty and sharp rather than sweet. Set aside for serving.
3
Heat the neutral oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the laksa paste, belacan, shallot, garlic and ginger, and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly and smells aromatic. Do not rush this step; frying the paste properly removes raw harshness and builds the broth's depth.
4
Pour in the water a little at a time, stirring to dissolve the fried paste smoothly, then add the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Bring just to a gentle simmer; avoid a hard boil once the coconut milk is added, or the broth can split. Simmer for 8 minutes until slightly thickened and well blended.
5
Add the tofu puffs to the broth and simmer for 2 minutes so they absorb the laksa. Then add the prawns and poach gently for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque throughout. Taste the broth and adjust at the table with sambal and lime rather than over-salting the pot.
6
While the broth simmers, soak or boil the rice vermicelli according to the package instructions until just tender, then drain well. Blanch the bean sprouts in the hot water for 20-30 seconds so they stay crisp. Divide the noodles and bean sprouts between 2 serving bowls.
7
Ladle the hot laksa broth, prawns and tofu puffs over the noodles. Top with mint leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges and the sambal belacan on the side, so each bowl can be seasoned to taste.

Nutrition per serving

800 kcal

Calories

34g

Protein

56g

Carbs

49g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•If your laksa paste is very salty, start with 10 ml fish sauce and add more only after tasting the finished broth.
•A few spoonfuls of hot noodle cooking water can loosen the broth if it thickens too much while standing.
•For a fuller hawker-style bowl, you can add slices of hard-boiled egg, though it is not essential here.
•Serve immediately after assembling; rice vermicelli continues to soften in hot broth.

Background

Laksa lemak is one of Malaysia's best-loved noodle soups, especially associated with the rich coconut-based styles found in the southern Malay Peninsula and Peranakan cooking. The dish reflects the region's blending of Malay ingredients, spice pastes and seafood traditions, with many local variations in noodles, herbs and garnishes.

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