Loving Laksa
Living in Darwin is like living in an Asian city; we have all the produce, markets and cuisines right at our fingertips. The city is teeming with Chinese, Indonesians, Thais, Malaysians, Vietnamese, Timorese and more all presenting their unique and incredible food. Our weekend markets sell fresh produce from the local market gardens and delicious food cooked on the spot. For years it has been a tradition to hit the markets, buy a fresh juice and check out the fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices on offer. Here you can buy the juiciest limes, the hottest chillis, the freshest rice noodles, galangal, lemongrass, basil, mint, coriander – everything you need to create your favourite meal.
Then, as with any good tradition there is one last thing - just as you are ready to leave you buy an amazing laksa from Mary…
But you may not live in Darwin, so don’t have the opportunity to experience this wonder, so a recipe to create one of the best noodle soups in the world is really what you need.
image: Lucy ( @lucylaela )
But you may not live in Darwin, so don’t have the opportunity to experience this wonder, so a recipe to create one of the best noodle soups in the world is really what you need.
You can buy laksa paste off the shelf these days, however now that you can it readily buy the essential ingredients to create it , there’s no real excuse for not making your own! I promise, it will taste sooo much better.
Spicy Chicken Laksa
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock
375 ml (1½ cups) coconut milk
4 pieces (80gm) fried tofu cubes, thickly sliced - you can find these in Asian speciality shops
200 gm thick rice noodles
2 1/2 tsp palm sugar
500 gm poached chicken breast, thickly sliced
1 cup each of loosely packed Thai basil and coriander leaves
bean sprouts
fried asian shallots
1 lime cut into wedges
1 long red chilli
LAKSA PASTE
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 asian shallots or 2 eschallots finely chopped
1 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander leaves, stalks and roots
1 tbsp finely grated ginger or galangal if you can find it
2-3 small red chillies, coarsely chopped
4 candlenuts - or substitute with macadamias
2 finely chopped lemongrass stalks
2 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
100 ml vegetable oil
METHOD
For laksa paste, process all ingredients except oil in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Heat oil in a wok or saucepan over low heat, add paste and cook for 5 minutes or until fragrant
Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add tofu.
Cook noodles according to packet instructions, drain and divide among bowls. Arrange chicken on top, ladle over soup, sprinkle over the fried shallots, herbs and beansprouts. Top with a few pieces of the sliced long red chilli
Serve with wedges of lime
You can buy laksa paste off the shelf these days, however now that you can it readily buy the essential ingredients to create it , there’s no real excuse for not making your own! I promise, it will taste sooo much better.
Spicy Chicken Laksa
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock
375 ml (1½ cups) coconut milk
4 pieces (80gm) fried tofu cubes, thickly sliced - you can find these in Asian speciality shops
200 gm thick rice noodles
2 1/2 tsp palm sugar
500 gm poached chicken breast, thickly sliced
1 cup each of loosely packed Thai basil and coriander leaves
bean sprouts
fried asian shallots
1 lime cut into wedges
1 long red chilli
LAKSA PASTE
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 asian shallots or 2 eschallots finely chopped
1 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander leaves, stalks and roots
1 tbsp finely grated ginger or galangal if you can find it
2-3 small red chillies, coarsely chopped
4 candlenuts - or substitute with macadamias
2 finely chopped lemongrass stalks
2 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
100 ml vegetable oil
METHOD
For laksa paste, process all ingredients except oil in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Heat oil in a wok or saucepan over low heat, add paste and cook for 5 minutes or until fragrant
Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add tofu.
Cook noodles according to packet instructions, drain and divide among bowls. Arrange chicken on top, ladle over soup, sprinkle over the fried shallots, herbs and beansprouts. Top with a few pieces of the sliced long red chilli
Serve with wedges of lime
