This is a fantastic recipe that I have made many times over the years. I started with a recipe from a cookbook and then developed it using other ideas from various sources. An important change were the fish balls. I can never find them where we live, so I now use the recipe for Thai fish cakes instead. I make them small as per fish balls. They really work well with this recipe.
Start by making the laksa paste.
Ingredients for the Laksa paste
8 large dried red chillies
1 Tbsp dried shrimp
1 Tbsp chopped fresh galangal
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
1 lemongrass stalk, pale part bruised, finely chopped
4 Asian red shallots, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 coriander roots or stems, roughly chopped
5 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1½ tsp shrimp paste
sea salt
Soak the dried chillies and the dried shrimp in hot water for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Remove the chillies and dried shrimp from the water (it doesn’t matter if you don’t drain them completely as some water is fine). Reserve the chilli soaking water.
If using the Thermomix
Roughly chop the chillies and then place them into the bowl along with the dried shrimp. Then add the remaining ingredients along with a large pinch salt and blend 30 sec/speed 7, adding some of the chilli soaking water a tablespoon at a time if the ingredients aren’t blending smoothly. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then repeat blending 30 sec/speed 9, until a fine consistency is achieved. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
If using a food processor
Roughly chop the chillies and then place them into the food processor bowl along with the dried shrimp. Then add the remaining ingredients along with a large pinch salt and blend adding some of the chilli soaking water a tablespoon at a time if the ingredients aren’t blending smoothly. Keep blending until a fine consistency is achieved.
Transfer to a bowl. Reserve.
Ingredients for the laksa soup
150g dried rice vermicelli
750ml coconut cream - do not shake the tin
750ml fish stock
750g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
200g fish balls
250g scallops
100g deep-fried tofu, cut into quarters
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp grated palm sugar
Continue by making the fish balls
Ingredients for Fish Balls
500g skinless firm white fish fillets
200g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 snake beans or 10 green beans, finely sliced
4 makrut (kaffir lime) leaves, finely shredded
6 Thai basil leaves, shredded (or normal basil if not available)
oil, for frying
To make the fish balls, put the fish, prawns and curry paste in a food processor.
Process to form a smooth, sticky paste.
Transfer to a bowl and mix through the beans, makrut leaves and basil.
Use your hands if necessary.
Wet your hands with cold water.
Shape tablespoons of the mixture into small balls. Leave them in a ball instead of flattening them as per cakes.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Fry in oil for about 5 minutes.
Keep them on a plate with paper towel to get rid of extra oil. Reserve.
Afterwards, prepare the deep-fried tofu
Coat the tofu with rice flour and deep-fried it.
Transfer to a plate with paper towel. Reserve.
Cook the noodles.
Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Reserve. (I used some rice noodles instead, that needed to be used.)
Make the soup
Spoon the thick coconut cream from the top of the tin. (Don't shake the coconut milk / cream. Take the top only.)
Fry with the laksa paste in a wok until the oil from the coconut starts to separate from the paste and the mixture is fragrant.
Cook for a few minutes, until it has a nice colour.
Add the fish stock and the rest of the coconut cream. (I used some from the shop but added the prawn heads and shells and cook it for about 15 minutes, then strain into wok)
Bring the sauce to a boil.
Add the tofu, prawns, scallops and fish balls.
Cook for about 5 minutes, then add 2 Tbsp fish sauce and a Tbsp of grated palm sugar.
Divide the noodles between the soup bowls and ladle on some of the soup.
Serve topped with the garnish ingredients.
Ingredients for the Garnish
100g bean sprouts
2 large handfuls Vietnamese mint (I used Thai basil instead, couldn't find the mint)
30g fried shallots
10g fried garlic flakes
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
Homemade Chilli crunch mixture (optional)
Or just serve the garnish separately on the table so that everyone can top it with their preferred ones.
Serves 4
8 large dried red chillies
1 Tbsp dried shrimp
1 Tbsp chopped fresh galangal
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
1 lemongrass stalk, pale part bruised, finely chopped
4 Asian red shallots, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 coriander roots or stems, roughly chopped
5 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1½ tsp shrimp paste
sea salt
Soak the dried chillies and the dried shrimp in hot water for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Remove the chillies and dried shrimp from the water (it doesn’t matter if you don’t drain them completely as some water is fine). Reserve the chilli soaking water.
If using the Thermomix
Roughly chop the chillies and then place them into the bowl along with the dried shrimp. Then add the remaining ingredients along with a large pinch salt and blend 30 sec/speed 7, adding some of the chilli soaking water a tablespoon at a time if the ingredients aren’t blending smoothly. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then repeat blending 30 sec/speed 9, until a fine consistency is achieved. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
If using a food processor
Roughly chop the chillies and then place them into the food processor bowl along with the dried shrimp. Then add the remaining ingredients along with a large pinch salt and blend adding some of the chilli soaking water a tablespoon at a time if the ingredients aren’t blending smoothly. Keep blending until a fine consistency is achieved.
Transfer to a bowl. Reserve.
Ingredients for the laksa soup
150g dried rice vermicelli
750ml coconut cream - do not shake the tin
750ml fish stock
750g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
200g fish balls
250g scallops
100g deep-fried tofu, cut into quarters
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp grated palm sugar
Continue by making the fish balls
Ingredients for Fish Balls
500g skinless firm white fish fillets
200g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 snake beans or 10 green beans, finely sliced
4 makrut (kaffir lime) leaves, finely shredded
6 Thai basil leaves, shredded (or normal basil if not available)
oil, for frying
To make the fish balls, put the fish, prawns and curry paste in a food processor.
Process to form a smooth, sticky paste.
Transfer to a bowl and mix through the beans, makrut leaves and basil.
Use your hands if necessary.
Wet your hands with cold water.
Shape tablespoons of the mixture into small balls. Leave them in a ball instead of flattening them as per cakes.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Fry in oil for about 5 minutes.
Keep them on a plate with paper towel to get rid of extra oil. Reserve.
Afterwards, prepare the deep-fried tofu
Coat the tofu with rice flour and deep-fried it.
Transfer to a plate with paper towel. Reserve.
Cook the noodles.
Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Reserve. (I used some rice noodles instead, that needed to be used.)
Make the soup
Spoon the thick coconut cream from the top of the tin. (Don't shake the coconut milk / cream. Take the top only.)
Fry with the laksa paste in a wok until the oil from the coconut starts to separate from the paste and the mixture is fragrant.
Cook for a few minutes, until it has a nice colour.
Add the fish stock and the rest of the coconut cream. (I used some from the shop but added the prawn heads and shells and cook it for about 15 minutes, then strain into wok)
Bring the sauce to a boil.
Add the tofu, prawns, scallops and fish balls.
Cook for about 5 minutes, then add 2 Tbsp fish sauce and a Tbsp of grated palm sugar.
Divide the noodles between the soup bowls and ladle on some of the soup.
Serve topped with the garnish ingredients.
Ingredients for the Garnish
100g bean sprouts
2 large handfuls Vietnamese mint (I used Thai basil instead, couldn't find the mint)
30g fried shallots
10g fried garlic flakes
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
Homemade Chilli crunch mixture (optional)
Or just serve the garnish separately on the table so that everyone can top it with their preferred ones.
Serves 4
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