Singapore Laksa from scratch!

What is the dish you would name it uniquely Singaporean? There has been a long lasting debate on this. I would say that it is largely subjective and personal. Well, for me... I would personally crown LAKSA as an iconic representation of Singapore Food.

I love the nice blend of taste from the tropical spices and the fresh coconut milk. The rice noodles gives a tender and smooth touch to the exotic gravy. And what I like most is that the gravy goes well with most accompanying ingredients such as cockles (awww...), prawns, fish cakes, fishballs, crayfish, shellfish, cuttlefish, yong tau foo and many more..

However there is something you cannot miss out in this dish. Yes, Laksa leaves. I simply love smelling the plant. Each individual leaf is pumped with fragrance waiting to fill your nose and trigger your appetite. If you have green fingers, you may want to try growing the plant and somehow it seems thirsty all the time.

Recipe (5 Servings)

Ingredients

Laksa Paste

• 80g of dried chilli, soak in hot water for 1 hour
• 6 large red chilli
• 15 Shallots
• 7 Garlic
• 2 inches of Blue Ginger (Galangal)
• 2 inches of Yellow Ginger (Tumeric)
• 4 lemon grasses (just the bottom 3 inches of the stem)
• 10 Candlenuts
• 1 1/2 inches of Prawn paste (Belacan)
• 5 tbsp of Dried shrimps, soak in hot water for 1 hour and blend till fine
• 2 tbsp Coriander powder
• Cooking Oil

Steps

1. Blend all the ingredients into a paste (except prawn paste, coriander powder, dried shrimps and oil).
2. Heat the wok, fry the prawn paste till fragrant. Remove.
3. In the same wok, add 5 tbsp of cooking oil.
4. Add in the blended paste. Saute over medium fire. Add in belacan.
5. Saute till fragrant and oil separates from paste.
6. Add in coriander powder. Stir well. Remove from wok.
7. In the same wok, add 3 tbsp of cooking oil. Add in blended dried shrimps. Fry till fragrant.
8. Add in the laksa paste. stir well.
9. Remove from heat.

Ingredients

Laksa gravy and condiments

• 500ml Coconut milk
• 1 litre water
• Rice noodles
• 5 pieces of Dried beancurd, cut into slices
• 2 pieces of Fish Cakes, pan fried and cut into thin slices
• 5 Hard boiled Eggs, cut into thin slices or quadrants
• Shrimps, boiled in the above-mentioned water (keep the water as stock)
• Laksa leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. In the wok with prepared laksa paste, add in water and bring it to boil.
2. Add in dried beancurd and cook it till softened.
3. Add in coconut milk. Boil at low heat. Do not use high heat as coconut milk may curdle.
4. Add in sugar and salt, then remove from heat.
5. In a separate pot, boil individual portions of rice noodles for 2 minutes. Drain the noodles well.
6. Pour the gravy over the noodles. Plate it with your favourite condiments.
7. Enjoy!