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Malaysian Prawn Laksa

Indulge in the ultimate Malaysian culinary delight: Malaysian Prawn Laksa. Creamy, fragrant, and packed with spicy flavours. It's my all time favourite dish and I'm sure you'll agree after the first delicious slurp.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 2
Calories: 916 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Malaysian

Ingredients

for the spice paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp fresh galangal (chopped)
  • 6 dried red chillies (soaked for 20 mins in hot water)
  • 2 fresh hot Thai chillies (chopped)
  • 3 Candlenuts (or macadamia)
  • 1 tbsp shrimp paste
  • 110 g shallots (or red onion)
  • 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
For the soup
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1.2 l coconut milk
  • 1 lemongrass stalk (trimmed and bruised at the end)
  • 500 g King prawns (with shells)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 lime (juice of)
Other ingredients
  • 2 cup cooked vermicelli rice noodles
  • 1 cup hokkien egg noodles
  • 2 tbsp crispy onions (shop bought from any Asian supermarket) for garnish
  • 2 fresh coriander for garnish
  • 1 cup beansprouts for garnish
  • 4 pieces of fried spongy tofu

Instructions

To make the laksa paste
    Cup of Yum
  1. Using a stick blender or food process or a pestle & mortar, grind together all the spice paste ingredients until very smooth. Set aside.
To make the soup
  1. Heat a wok with the oil then add the laksa paste together with the lemon grass stalks and fry for about 8 minutes until the oils begin to separate.
  2. Tip in all the coconut milk, then refill the can with water, TWICE and add that too. Finally, add the fish sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
  3. Drop in the prawns and simmer for 3-4 minutes until cooked. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and then salt to your taste. Squeeze in the lime and keep hot.
Assembling the soup!
  1. Arrange about 1 cup of vermicelli noodles and about 1/4 cup hokkien noodles in the bottom of a large Asian soup bowl with the prawns, then ladle over plenty of the piping hot broth. Add a small handful of beansprouts, a couple of pieces of tofu, a generous scattering of crispy onions and a sprig or two if coriander.

Notes

  • For added variety, top the soup with various toppings like peanuts, hard-boiled eggs, poached chicken, pork, fish balls, Vietnamese mint, sawtooth coriander, laksa leaves, mint leaves, radishes, tomatoes, shredded cabbage or lettuce, crispy garlic, mushrooms, or fungus.
  • Leftovers in the fridge: Be cautious as delicate noodles may soak up liquid and lose texture. Best consumed within a day.
  • Fridge/Freezer - soup base: The soup base stays fresh for 4-5 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer, stored in an airtight container. Portion them for convenient single servings to quickly garnish freshly cooked noodles for a meal. Avoid freezing the soup in its finished state.

Nutrition Information

Calories 916kcal (46%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 47g (94%) Fat 65g (100%) Saturated Fat 42g (210%) Cholesterol 416mg (139%) Sodium 3314mg (138%) Potassium 946mg (27%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 568IU (11%) Vitamin C 32mg (36%) Calcium 366mg (37%) Iron 13mg (72%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 916

% Daily Value*

Calories 916kcal 46%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 47g 94%
Fat 65g 100%
Saturated Fat 42g 210%
Cholesterol 416mg 139%
Sodium 3314mg 138%
Potassium 946mg 20%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 568IU 11%
Vitamin C 32mg 36%
Calcium 366mg 37%
Iron 13mg 72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.