Go Back
Print Recipe

SINGAPORE LAKSA

A rich spicy broth of coconut milk, seafood stock and spices, is poured over rice noodles, cockles, beansprouts, tofu puffs and prawns. It garnished with with polygonum (laksa) leaves and chilli paste.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Large pot for making broth

Ingredients

SPICE PASTE

  • 8 dried chilli soaked in hot water to soften
  • 4 fresh red chillies chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 stalks lemongrass finely sliced
  • ¼ cup dried shrimp soaked in warm water until soft, water discarded
  • 2 cm galangal chopped
  • 2 cm fresh turmeric chopped
  • 4 candlenuts
  • 1 tbsp shrimp paste (belacan)
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds ground

BROTH

  • 2 cups fresh prawn heads and shells
  • 4 cups water
  • 1½ cups fresh coconut milk squeezed from freshly grated coconut mixed with water
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp gula melaka palm-sap sugar
  • 4 tbsp oil

NOODLES AND TOPPINGS

  • 4 handfuls thick rice vermicelli blanced
  • 8 large prawns cleaned, keep shells and heads for broth. Blanched
  • 12 slices fish cake blanched
  • 12 cockles shelled
  • 8 tofu puffs blanched
  • 1 handful beansprouts
  • 2 tbsp polygonum (laksa) leaves chopped

Instructions

  • Make the stock: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the 2 cups of prawn heads and shells, sautéing for 5–10 minutes. Crush them with your spatula to release the juices.
  • Strain the broth into a clean bowl, discarding the shells, and set the prawn stock aside. 
  • Blend the spice paste (rempah): Place all the Spice Paste ingredients into a food processor or heavy blender.Add 2 tbsp of water (only if needed to help the blades move) and blend into a very fine, uniform paste
  • Cook the gravy: Heat the remaining 3 tbsp of oil in a large pot over low-medium heat. Add the blended spice paste and stir-fry continuously for 15–20 minutes. The paste is ready when it darkens and the oil splits/separates 
  • Pour in the strained prawn stock and bring to a simmer.
  • Stir in the 1 ¾ cups of coconut milk, 2 tbsp of fish sauce, and 1 tbsp of palm sugar. Toss in the halved tofu puffs so they absorb the liquid. Let it come to a gentle boil. 
  • Blanch the thick rice vermicelli noodles and 1 cup of bean sprouts in a separate pot of boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then drain well.
  • Assemble and Serve: Divide the blanched noodles, and raw bean sprouts into 4 deep serving bowls.
  • Arrange the blanched prawns, fish cake slices, raw cockles, and tofu puffs, on top.
  • Ladle the piping hot laksa gravy over the ingredients.
  • Garnish generously with the 2 tbsp of finely chopped polygonum leaves leaves