Curry Laksa (Curry Mee)
Curry Laksa (Curry Mee) is a delicious spicy curried noodle soup with a variety of toppings. This is my family's version found mainly in the Klang Valley and its surrounding areas.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil ((80ml))
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts ((skin removed))
- 3 pandan leaves ((shredded and knotted))
- 12 oz bean sprouts ((trimmed) (340g))
- 6 oz beehoon ((dried rice vermicelli), soak in warm water for 30 minutes to soften (170g))
- 12 oz fresh yellow noodles (or dried yellow noodles (225g))
- 8 oz shrimps ((peeled and deveined) (225g))
- 1 can coconut milk ((14 oz/400ml))
- 4 oz deep fried tofu ((sliced) (113g))
- Salt (to taste)
- 5 shallots ((peeled and halved))
- 3 cloves garlic ((peeled, and halved))
- 3 dried chilies ((seeded and soaked in hot water to soften))
- 1 stalk lemongrass ((slice bottom third into rings))
- 1½ inch ginger ((peeled and thickly sliced))
- ½ cup curry powder ((50g))
- ½ cucumber ((julienned))
- 3 to 4 sprigs mint leaves ((stems removed))
- 1 lime ((cut into wedges))
- 4 to 6 tsp fried chili paste
Instructions
- 1
Blend all spice paste ingredients with ¼ cup (60ml) water until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl. Mix with curry powder to form a thick paste.
- 2
Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir fry spice paste until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add chicken breasts and cook until opaque, about 3 minutes.
- 3
Pour in 6 cups (1.4 liters) water. Add pandan leaves. Cover and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes.
- 4
In the meantime, fill a separate pot half full of water. Bring to a boil. Scald bean sprouts for about 20 seconds. Remove with a metal strainer.
- 5
Add beehoon (dried rice vermicelli) and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with metal strainer.
- 6
Cook fresh yellow noodles in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes and dried yellow noodles for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with metal strainer. Set aside.
- 7
Remove chicken breasts from curry soup with tongs. When cool enough to handle, shred meat and discard bones.
- 8
Lower shrimps into curry soup with a metal strainer. Allow shrimps to cook for 3 to 4 minutes until shrimps curl and turn pink. Remove and set aside.
- 9
Pour coconut milk into soup. Add deep fried tofu and season with salt. Bring it up to a boil and allow coconut milk to heat through. Turn off heat.
- 10
Place a portion of noodles, bean sprouts, some shredded chicken, and shrimps in a bowl. Pour curry soup over noodles and vegetables. Garnish with cucumber and mint leaves.
- 11
Serve Immediately with fried chili paste and lime wedges.