Singapore Laksa
A rich, spiced coconut broth with chicken, shrimp, and egg noodles — Singapore’s most beloved bowl. The fragrant paste is the heart of the dish; once that’s built, everything else comes together quickly.
-
18 medium cooked shrimp, shell on -
4 shallots, chopped -
3 cloves garlic, chopped -
5 dried chillies, chopped -
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, sliced -
3 tsp turmeric -
4 tsp shrimp paste -
½ tsp ground coriander -
1 quart coconut milk -
2½ tbsp oil -
2½ tbsp sugar -
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts -
1 cup chicken stock -
8 oz Chinese egg noodles or fettuccine -
fresh mint leaves, to garnish -
1 scallion, sliced, to garnish -
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced, to garnish
-
Peel and de-vein the shrimp and keep refrigerated until needed.
-
In a blender, process the shallots and garlic. Add dried chillies, lemongrass, turmeric, shrimp paste, coriander, and ¼ cup of coconut milk. Blend to a smooth paste.
-
Heat oil and add the paste; fry for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant. Add ¼ cup water, the remaining coconut milk, sugar, 1 tsp salt, and stir until the mixture boils. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.
-
Put the chicken in a small pan with enough stock to cover. Simmer for 8 minutes until cooked through, then cut into cubes. Add the shrimp to the coconut broth for the last 2 minutes to heat through.
-
Bring a large pan of salted water to boil. Crush the noodles slightly and boil until done. Drain and rinse in warm water — but DON’T COOL THEM COMPLETELY.
-
Divide noodles, chicken, and shrimp among 4 bowls. Pour the hot soup over. Arrange mint, scallion, and chilli on top. Serve IMMEDIATELY.
