Laksa

Ingredients

• •Group A:
• •20 grams Tumeric
• •250 grams Galangal, sliced to fill 1/2 cup
• •20 dried peppers
• •5 red peppers
• •12 candlenuts
• •50 grams shrimp paste
• •250 grams shallots
• •1 tablespoon coriander
• •Group B
• •1 kilogram Wolf Herring (Ikan Parang in Malay)
• •1 liter water
• •Group C
• •2 liters packet type coconut milk
• •1 1/2 liters water
• •Salt to taste
• •500 grams fresh prawns
• •2 stalks lemon grass
• •Group D
• •600 grams bean sprouts
• •1 1/2 kilograms fresh rice vermicelli
• •Garnish:
• •Cooked prawns from group C
• •8 fish cakes, fried and sliced into strips
• •3 cucumbers, cut into strips
• •60 gm polygonum (daun kesom in Malay)
• •4 hardboiled eggs quartered
• •The Chili Paste:
• •50 grams dried chilies
• •5 red chilies
• •20 grams shrimp paste
• •5 milliliters water
• •1 teaspoon salt
• •20 milliliters coconut milk

Directions

1. 1Grind all the items in Group A together into a fine paste. Use a wok to fry the paste with the lemon grass until the paste is fragrant.
2. 2Boil the fish in Group A in 1 liter of water for 1/2 an hour. Strain the water and keep it to use as stock. Pick the fish meat free of bones.
3. 3Peel the fresh prawns. Keep the prawn shells. Fry the prawn shells until fragrant. Next grind the shells coarsely. Then put the shells into a strainer which is sitting in a pot. Pour water slowly stirring the shell. About 11/2 liters of water is to be used. The liquor collected is to be used as stock. The peeled prawns should be boiled until cooked.
4. 4Pour the liquid in Step 2 and Step 3 together with the coconut milk. Add the fish meat. Bring to a boil. Add the paste from Step 1. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. 5Place some bean sprouts and rice vermicelli in a bowl. Add the hot gravy into the bowl. Garnish with fish cake, prawns, cucumber, polygonum, hardboiled egg.
6. 6To make the chili paste as a side, grind all ingredients for chili paste into a fine paste.
7. 7Fry the paste in about 20 milliliters of cooking oil.
8. 8Add the salt and coconut milk.
9. 9Stir fry until fragrant.
10. 10Remove and put into a separate bowl.