LaksaMalaysian curry noodle soup

• 10-12 dried red chillies, for the rempah, seeded if you want less heat, soaked in hot water 20 min
• 3 fresh red chillies, for the rempah, sliced
• 150 g5 oz (about 10 small) shallots, for the rempah, peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, for the rempah
• 2 lemongrass stalks, for the rempah, tender lower part only, sliced
• 30 g1 oz (a 4 cm / 1 1/2 in piece) galangal (lengkuas), for the rempah, peeled, sliced
• 3 cm piece or 1 tsp1 1/4 in piece or 1 tsp fresh turmeric (kunyit), or ground turmeric, for the rempah
• 5 candlenuts (buah keras), for the rempah, or macadamia nuts
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, for the rempah, toasted and ground
• 10 g1 1/2 tsp belacan (fermented shrimp paste), for the rempah, toasted in a dry pan or foil until crumbly
• 40 g1/3 cup dried shrimp (udang kering), for the rempah, soaked 15 min; keep the soaking water
• 400 g14 oz medium prawns, shell on, peeled; keep heads and shells for the stock
• 1.2 l5 cups water, for the stock
• 100 mlscant 1/2 cup neutral oil, plus 1 tbsp for the shells
• 1 small bunch laksa leaves (daun kesum, Vietnamese coriander), a few sprigs whole for the pot, the rest finely shredded
• 600 ml2 1/2 cups coconut milk (santan)
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• salt, to taste
• 500 g fresh or 250 g dried1.1 lb fresh or 9 oz dried thick round rice noodles (laksa noodles, thick bee hoon)
• 200 g7 oz bean sprouts (taugeh), tails pinched off
• 150 g5 oz fish cake, sliced
• 8 tofu puffs (tau pok), halved
• 2 hard-boiled eggs or a handful of blood cockles, optional
• sambal belacan (chilli and shrimp paste relish), to serve

Method

1. 1

   1. Make the stock: heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot and fry the prawn heads and shells for about 5 minutes, pressing them, until they turn red and smell toasty.

2. 2

   2. Add the water and the dried-shrimp soaking water, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain, pressing the shells; you need about 1 l (4 cups) of stock.

3. 3

   3. Meanwhile, make the rempah: pound or blend all the rempah ingredients (drained chillies, fresh chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, coriander, belacan, soaked dried shrimp) to a fine paste, adding a spoonful of water only if the blender needs it.

4. 4

   4. Heat the 100 ml oil in a wok or heavy pot over medium-low heat and add the rempah. Fry it, stirring often, for 20-30 minutes, until it darkens to a deep brick red, smells sweet rather than raw, and the oil separates and pools around the paste (pecah minyak).

5. 5

   5. Pour in the prawn stock, add the whole laksa leaf sprigs and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

6. 6

   6. Poach the peeled prawns in the simmering broth for 1-2 minutes, until just pink, and lift them out. Add the tofu puffs and let them soak up the broth for 3 minutes, then lift them out too.

7. 7

   7. Stir in the coconut milk, bring the broth back to a simmer without boiling hard, and season with sugar and salt. It should be rich, spicy and savoury with a faint sweetness; remove the laksa leaf sprigs.

8. 8

   8. Blanch the noodles and bean sprouts in boiling water for 30-60 seconds (cook dried noodles according to the packet first), drain, and divide among deep bowls.

9. 9

   9. Top with the prawns, fish cake, tofu puffs and egg or cockles, and ladle the very hot broth over.

10. 10

    10. Scatter with shredded laksa leaves and serve with a spoonful of sambal belacan on the side.