Lighter Prawn Laksa Recipes

LAKSA

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper (we used white pepper, but you can also use black pepper), and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• While the chicken is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large saucepan or medium pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the minced lemongrass and chilies, and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the laksa paste and brown sugar. Fry for another 3 minutes, letting all the flavors meld together. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the soy puffs, cover, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rinse the noodles in warm water (for cooked hokkien noodles or rice vermicelli) or prepare according to package instructions (for fresh or dried wheat noodles). Distribute among four large noodle soup bowls.
• Shred the cooked chicken and skin and distribute among the bowls. Pour any juices from the roasting pan into the broth. (You can even use a little bit of warm water to scrape any lingering tasty bits off the parchment paper).
• Season the broth with lime juice and more fish sauce to taste, until your broth has reached your desired levels of saltiness/sourness. If you would rather not use fish sauce as your salting agent (it can be quite pungent to some palates), season with salt instead.
• Meanwhile, toss the thinly sliced shallots in flour until they're lightly coated. In a cast iron pan, heat an additional 2 tablespoons oil. Fry the shallots until crispy and set aside.
• Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and sear them in the same oil you used to cook the shallots, just until they're cooked through.
• To assemble the laksa, pour the broth over the noodles and chicken, and add a couple pieces of soy puff to each. Top with the cooked shrimp, bean sprouts, cilantro, and fried shallots. Serve with extra lime wedges, and enjoy!

LIGHTER PRAWN LAKSA

Steps:

• Put the ginger, garlic, laksa paste, curry and chilli powders with 1 tbsp of water in a food processor and whizz to a paste.
• Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a pan and fry the paste for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time, until fragrant.
• Tip in the coconut milk along with 250ml of water, season and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the sugar snap peas and prawns, and simmer for 1 minute, then add the noodles and bean sprouts, and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Serve with a sprinkling of coriander, lime for squeezing and red chilli slices.

CLASSIC SHRIMP LAKSA WITH RICE NOODLES

Steps:

• Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add the Laksa Curry Paste and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice and coconut milk and stir well. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until al dente, about 3 minutes, and then drain and rinse under cold water to refresh. Add 3/4 cup of the bean sprouts to the shrimp mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and cayenne pepper. To serve, divide the noodles between 2 large, shallow bowls and ladle the shrimp and broth over each. Garnish with clusters of cilantro and basil, sprinkle the remaining sprouts over the top and serve immediately.
• Combine the coconut milk, shrimp paste, oil, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, chili powder, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, onions and chiles in a food processor or blender and whiz into a smooth paste. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Yield: about 2 cups.

PRAWN LAKSA CURRY BOWL

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the chilli. Cook for 1 min, then add the curry paste, stir and cook for 1 min more. Dissolve the stock cube in a large jug in 700ml boiling water, then pour into the pan and stir to combine. Tip in the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
• Add the fish sauce and a little seasoning. Toss in the noodles and cook for a further 3-4 mins until softening. Squeeze in the lime juice, add the prawns and cook through until warm, about 2-3 mins. Scatter over some of the coriander.
• Serve in bowls with the remaining coriander and lime wedges on top for squeezing over.