I’ve been nursing a bad flu for the past week and because of that, all food becomes bland and tasteless to me. And this has been going on for past 2 weeks until I couldn’t take it anymore ! Hahaha! My body starts to crave for something that can stimulate the senses back !! So despite my lack of being able to taste any food, I went ahead to cook this Singapore Laksa !!
But during the cooking process, I really panicked as I couldn’t figure out much smells or tastes when I was trying out the laksa soup since my nose was quite blocked. So I took a risk and went ahead with that faint sense that I am left with, and coupled with some agar-ration. And guess what?? It all went so well that I am really elated to pen down this precious recipe to add to my collection.
I had some extras for mom to pack back too !! She said that it tasted even better after they reheat and throw all the laksa ingredients to the laksa soup when they had it for dinner and even supper on the same night.
The only setback is perhaps the chilli paste where despite several attempts, I wasn’t able to grind it till very finely with my food processor. The chilli seeds are still visible ! Mom said that my machine just wasn’t good enough though !! Opps, does that call for another kitchen equipment purchase ?? Hehehe !!
Now I don’t have to go to Katong to enjoy authentic Singapore Laksa anymore !! The kitchen and fresh groceries from PurelyFresh is all I need !!
Enjoy !!
- ½ yam bean, cut into chunks
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 radish, cut into chunks
- 50g dried shrimps, blend till fine
- 2.4 litres water
- 200ml whipping cream
- 40g rock sugar cubes
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 500g fresh prawns (de-shelled & de-veined, set aside the shells)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp chicken powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 250ml coconut milk
- 4 pcs tau pok, cut into halves
- 2 pcs fish cake, sliced
- some beansprouts
- some yellow noodles
- some thick beehoon
- 10 pcs of laksa leaves, chopped till fine
- 50g dried chilies
- 50g red chillies (approx. 7-8 pcs)
- 40g shallots
- 100g dried shrimps
- 1 stalk lemongrass, the bottom part only cut into small pieces
- 5 thin slices of tumeric
- 10g belachan powder, toast in oven at 170 degrees C for 8 mins
- 100ml oil
Remove the shells from the prawns and stir fried in a deep drying pan with 2 tbsp minced garlic till fragrant and shells turn reddish.
Add the water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the yam bean, carrot, radish, 50g of finely blend dried shrimps, stir fried prawns shells from Step 1 and rock sugar cubes.
Add the whipping cream and allow the soup stock to boil again. Reduce the heat to low after it has boiled and simmer for a further 1 hour.
In the meantime, prepare the chilli paste by blending all the ingredients in a food processor till paste-liked.
Heat up half of the cooking oil in a pan and add the blended chilli paste. Keep stirring so that the chilli paste does not stuck to the pan and burnt. When the paste starts to dry out, add the remaining oil in few stages and keep stirring till it becomes sticky and fragrant. Set aside.
After the laksa soup has simmered for an hour, drain away all the ingredients in it and add approximately half of the chilli paste from the previous step. Add more if you prefer it to be spicier. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes after adding the chilli paste.
Heat up some water in a pan till it boils and start to blanch the yellow noodles, thick bee hoon, tau pok, beansprouts, fish cakes and prawns till soft or cooked.
Drain well all the blanched ingredients from the previous step and set aside.
Add in coconut milk to the stock after simmering for 30 mins has past from Step 6. Stir and mix well. Allow it to simmer till it boils.
Add in the garlic powder, chicken powder and salt and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly if necessary and off the flame.
Using a noodle ladle, place some yellow noodles and/or thick bee hoon, prawns, fish cake, tau pok and beansprouts from Step 8 and lower it into the hot laksa soup for approximately 15 seconds. Drain and place them in a bowl. Add the laksa soup and top with shredded laksa leaves and more chilli paste, if desired.
