Prawn laksa with coconut and lime
Coconut-rich Malaysian-style laksa built from a good paste, a proper prawn-shell broth, and a loaded garnish plate. Thirty minutes of cooking, ten years of comfort.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Broth
- 500 g green prawns, peeled heads and shells reserved
- 3 tbsp laksa paste a good jarred one
- 400 ml coconut milk full-fat
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 200 g dried rice vermicelli or 400 g fresh
- 150 g fried tofu puffs, halved
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp kecap manis
- 1 lime, wedged
Toppings
- bean sprouts
- Vietnamese mint (laksa leaf) and coriander
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- fried shallots
- 4 soft-boiled eggs, halved
Instructions
- Sauté the prawn heads and shells in a splash of oil for 4 minutes. Add 400 ml water, simmer 10 minutes, strain. Add the chicken stock to the broth and set aside.
- Fry the laksa paste in oil for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat until dark and fragrant.
- Add the coconut milk, then the prawn broth. Stir in the fish sauce and kecap manis. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Add the fried tofu puffs and simmer 3 minutes.
- Cook the noodles separately according to the packet. Divide among four bowls.
- Slip the prawns into the broth. 2 to 3 minutes, just until pink. Don't overcook.
- Ladle the prawns, tofu and broth over the noodles.
- Top each bowl with bean sprouts, herbs, chilli, fried shallots and half a soft-boiled egg. Lime wedge on the side.