Easy Malaysian Laksa Recipe
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Servings:
6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • 1 pound shrimp
  • 10 tofu puffs or 1 package of tofu, pan-fried, for serving
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, or 1 tablespoon freeze-dried lemongrass
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, crushed
  • 1 (250-gram) package dry vermicelli rice noodles
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 (120-gram) jar Malaysian laksa curry paste, or Thai red curry paste
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 cans coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
  • bean sprouts, for serving
  • fresh cilantro, diced, for serving
  • diced scallions, for serving
  • Fried shallots, for serving
  • Sambal oelek (Asian chili paste) or fresh Thai chili slices, for serving
Directions
  1. Prep all the ingredients: Dice the chicken into strips about ¼ inch thick. Peel and devein the shrimp. Cut the tofu puffs into pieces. If using packaged tofu instead of tofu puffs, fry it on both sides in a pan with a touch of salt and pepper, about 4 minutes per side, and cut into slices. Dice the fresh lemongrass, if using. Crush the kaffir lime leaves.
  2. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, add the oil and sauté the curry paste until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the curry bits, whisking to combine. Add the diced lemongrass, crushed kaffir lime leaves, and brown sugar, and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer.
  4. Add the chicken strips and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes longer. Add the coconut milk. Whisk thoroughly and constantly until the coconut milk and the broth mostly combine and blend together. Cook for a couple of minutes, just until everything is heated through.
  5. Add the fish sauce and the lime juice, starting with 1/2 a lime. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
  6. To assemble a bowl of laksa for serving, divide the noodles among bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles, ensuring each person gets some chicken and at least 3 shrimp. Top the bowls with the tofu puffs or fried tofu, a handful of fresh bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, diced scallions, and fried shallots. Serve with the sambal oelek or Thai red chili slices and lime wedges.