Chilli-free Laksa
Even just thinking about laksa without chilli took me a while to come to. Ignoring the ubiquitous slices served on top, how was I going to achieve that complex heat and mouthfeel that chilli brings? Pepper helps, as does ginger as does green Sichuan pepper oil.
Looking at the ingredient list might be overwhelming but know this will create more than a single serving. How many serves depends on how much stock you use with it and how much soup you like with your noodles. I’m very conservative in my soup quotient but I’m a wanton noodle consumer.
Feel free to keep the balance of the coconut laksa base in the fridge for up to five days or pop it straight into the freezer for when the next craving hits.
ingredients
- 1 stick lemongrass
- thumb-sized knob ginger, sliced
- small prawns, raw deveined
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 tbsp ginger turmeric paste (or 2 tbsp each grated ginger & turmeric)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 400ml can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp green Sichuan pepper oil
- 1 tsp red miso
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- fresh Hokkien noodles (50-100g per person)
- optional toppings: bean shoots, soft boiled egg, coriander, lime wedges, crispy shallots, tofu puffs
method
Make a simple stock with lemongrass, ginger slices and enough water to cover. Simmer for 15 minutes before gently poaching prawns in the same stock. The prawns will only take 1-2 minutes to cook through depending on their size. Set to one side once done and continue to cook the stock for several minutes, skimming any scum from the surface. Leave to one side off the heat while you make the laksa base.
Next up is laksa paste. Add coconut oil to a medium size saucepan and fry off the ginger/turmeric and garlic for a minute or two till it becomes fragrant. Pour in coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, green Sichuan pepper oil, miso, and white pepper. Taste to check for balance. Simmer for 10 minutes and check the flavour again. It’s your laksa so tweak it to your specific tastes. There’s no wrong or right answers here.
Bring 250ml strained stock to a boil and cook noodles for 1 minute or until softened and no longer raw tasting. Pile the noodles and prawns into your serving bowl along with your chosen accompaniments (bean shoots, egg, etc) and ladle spicy coconut milk across the lot. Serve with lime wedge, fresh herbs, crispy shallots etc.
