Laksa Soup - A Malaysian Coconut Curry Soup

May 17, 2021

Laksa Soup - A Malaysian Coconut Curry Soup

Malaysian Laksa Lemak is a spicy noodle soup from Malaysia that has a rich creamy base made from coconut milk and topped with noodles and veggies.Laksa consists of thick wheat noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or on sour asam.

The soup is spicy, salty and creamy and is a perfect bowl for a monsoon or winter day. The red-tone curry pastes are mostly considered spicy due to use of chillies and laksa soup is not different and has flavor of chillies but is balanced by the sweetness of coconut milk and the sweetener hence makes Laksa broth savoury. The traditional laksa paste calls for fish sauce or shrimp paste but based on the ingredients we get in India I have chosen to make a vegan laksa paste.

Malaysian laksa (Video)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the Laksa Paste:

6-8 Dry Red Chillies

2-3 Fresh Chillies(optional)

10-12 Cashew Nuts or 15 Almonds

3 Lemongrass Stalks or lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 medium size Onion

1Tbsp Garlic or 5 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1Tbsp Coriander Seeds

For the Broth:

2 tsp any powdered sweetener( sugar, jaggery or liquid stevia)

1 cup thick Coconut Milk

2 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander stems (optional)

Olive oil

Salt to taste

Water or Vegetable Broth as required(1 to 1.5 cup)

For the Toppings:

2 cups cooked Noodles or Sautéed Zoodles

1/2 to 1 cup Broccoli Florets(blanched/ Sautéed)

1 Carrot rough chop ( Sautéed/ blanched)

1 Capsicum rough chop ( blanched/ Sautéed)

Sautéed Mushroom(sliced) or paneer cubes

Any other veggies of your choice

For the Garnish:

1 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves for garnish

Notes

*You can mix up the veggies, as well at the protein — laksa is delicious with cooked prawns or shredded chicken.

Malaysian Laksa (Video)

Method

Step 1

Soak the dry red Chillies for 1 hour in hot water and discard the water

*If using cashew nuts then add in hot water and keep aside for 10 minutes. Then discard the water.

*If almonds, soak it overnight and then peel the skin and keep aside

Step 2

Blend together the soaked red chillies, cashew nuts/almonds along with all the other ingredients for the laksa curry paste along with a little water to a smooth paste.

Step 3

Heat 3 Tbsp of Oil in a thick bottomed pan and add the curry paste.Fry the paste for 15-20 minutes on low heat or until the oil separates.

Step 4

Add 1cup of water or broth and bring to a boil.Add salt and sweetener to taste.

Step 5

Add in the coconut milk and coriander stems and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Step 6

Cook the veggies or blanch the veggies.

Saute the mushroom slice and/or fry the paneer. Keep aside

Then 5 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, stir the mushrooms(or/& Paneer) and veggies into the hot curry soup so that they can briefly cook.