Nyonya Laksa with Tiger Prawns

An exquisite bowl of spicy coconut curry noodle soup, boasting a complex rempah spice paste and fresh ingredients, finished with succulent tiger prawns and tender shredded chicken.

• Prep: 1 hr
• Cook: 1 hr 10 min
• Total: 2 hr 10 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Singaporean
• Difficulty: Hard

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• boil
• sauté
• spicy
• rich
• comfort food
• special occasion

Ingredients

• 1 pound yellow egg noodles
• 1 pound rice vermicelli noodles
• 0.25 cup cooking oil
• 2 shallots (large, peeled, roughly chopped)
• 8 clove garlic (peeled)
• 1 fresh ginger (1 inch piece, peeled, roughly chopped)
• 0.5 fresh turmeric (1/2 inch piece, peeled, roughly chopped)
• 5 red Thai chili peppers (stems removed)
• 2 lemongrasses (stalks, tough outer layers removed, bottom 4 inches roughly chopped)
• 0.25 cup cashews (raw, unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon belacan (toasted)
• 1 pound chicken thigh (boneless, skinless)
• 8 cup chicken broth
• 2 can coconut milk (full-fat)
• 1 pound tiger prawns (peeled, deveined)
• 0.5 pound fish cake (sliced)
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 5 limes (cut into wedges)
• 2 tablespoon Sambal chili paste

Instructions

1. Prepare the rempah (spice paste): In a food processor or blender, combine 2 peeled and roughly chopped large shallots, 8 peeled garlic cloves, 1 inch peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger, 1/2 inch peeled and roughly chopped fresh turmeric, 5 red Thai chili peppers, 2 roughly chopped stalks lemongrass, 1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews, and 1 teaspoon toasted belacan. Blend until a very fine, smooth paste forms. Add a tablespoon of cooking oil if needed to help the blending.
2. Heat 1/4 cup cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the prepared rempah and sauté slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and the oil has separated from the paste. This step is crucial for developing flavor.
3. While the rempah cooks, poach the chicken: In a separate pot, poach 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh in 2 cups of the 8 cups chicken broth until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken, let cool slightly, then shred. Reserve the chicken broth.
4. To the pot with the rempah, add the remaining 6 cups of chicken broth and the 2 (13 1/2 ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring well. Let it simmer gently for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to deepen. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste.
5. Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook 1 pound fresh yellow egg noodles and 1 pound thick rice vermicelli noodles separately according to package instructions until tender but still firm (al dente). Drain and rinse briefly with cold water to prevent sticking.
6. Just before serving, add 1 pound peeled and deveined large tiger prawns and 1/2 pound sliced fish cake to the simmering laksa broth. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the prawns turn pink and opaque.
7. To serve: Divide the cooked yellow egg noodles and rice vermicelli noodles among 5 large bowls. Ladle generous amounts of the hot laksa broth with prawns and fish cake over the noodles. Top with the shredded chicken. Garnish with 1 cup fresh bean sprouts and 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and Sambal chili paste on the side.

Notes

The flavor of the rempah develops significantly with slow frying. Do not rush this step. Adjust the amount of chili peppers to control the spiciness.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 950
• Protein: 55.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 80.2 g
• Fat: 42.1 g
• Fiber: 7.3 g
• Sodium: 1450 mg
• Saturated Fat: 25.1 g
• Sugar: 8.7 g
• Cholesterol: 210 mg