Laksa Sarawak

I was very lucky when we were based in Doha few years back, I have few friends that cooked this laksa quite often. And when we move to Abu Dhabi, how I long for this laksa, unfortunately the recipe was quite hard to find that time and even when we were back to Kuala Lumpur, to find the paste "quasi impossible".

Late last year, one of the day when I'm lazying around in front of the laptop, I type laksa sarawak recipe and guess what! The recipe came out on the screen and I want to jump for joy, but of course I didn't..kids gonna think that mama gone crazy just because one recipe. Yeah, I got my pride...

And only yesterday, after all these months..I got the patient to do it..and it worth waiting and being far away from Malaysia, means that I have to prepare everything from scratch..I guess I earn a big pat on my shoulder for the effort I made..:p

Laksa Paste

 

Ingredients (make around 300-350 g)

15 shallots, peeled

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 cm galangal

5-6 lemongrass, white stalks only

15 dried chilies, deseeded and soak in water

7 candlenuts

2 cm toasted belacan

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, ground in a spice grinder

1/2 cup peanut, ground in a spice grinder

1 tsp cumin seeds, dry toasted and ground in a spice grinder

1 tbsp coriander seeds, dry toasted and ground in a spice grinder

 

1 tbsp tamarind bulb, mixed with boiling water and strained

Sugar and Salt to taste

Oil for frying

 

Method:

Put all the ingredients together with the ground spices and blend it together until it smooth.

 

Heat oil in a pan and cook spice paste over medium heat, stirring occassionally. When oil start to separate, add the tamarind juice, salt and sugar. Cook for further 10-15 minutes.

 

 

Laksa Sarawak

 

Broth:

250 g laksa paste

500g chicken bones

500 g fresh prawn, peeled, save shells for stock

1 lemongrass

1.5 litre water

2-3 kaffir lime leaves

400 ml coconut milk

Salt to taste

 

In a large pot, add water, laksa paste, chicken bones and prawn shells. Let it simmer for at least 1 hr. Add lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, let it cook gently for another 30 minutes.

 

Strain broth and remove all solids, add coconut milk and salt to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes.

 

Sambal for garnishing:

1 cup soaked dried chilies

1 large onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked and drained

1 tbsp tamarind paste

Salt and sugar to taste

Oil for frying

 

Place the garlic, onion, dried chilies and dried shrimps in a blender and process to a fine paste. Heat oil and fry the blended ingredients until aromatic. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes. Add the tamarind juice and season to taste. Cook for another 10 more minutes.

 

To prepare the sambal, place garlic, onion, dried chillies and dried shrimps in an electric blender and process to a fine paste. Heat the cooking oil and fry the blended ingredients until brown and aromatic. Add the chilli paste, tamarind juice and season to taste with sugar and salt. Cook for 25 minutes over a slow fire.

 

Garnishing:

Rice vermicelli, cook according to packet directions

Chicken shredded

Cook Prawn

Beansprout, wash and drained

Shreded plain egg omelette

Coriande Leaves

Lime wedges

Sambal

 

To serve:

Place rice vermicelli in a bowl, beansprout, shredded chicken, prawns and omelette, ladle some hot broth over and top it off with coriander leaves, wedge of lime and sambal.

Thank you to Aishah Moor, Jurina and Nanie for making me hook to this laksa..and last night, hubby ate it for the first time (eventhough he have the occassion to try it before) and he too agree with me that this is good..

Recipes gather from: Diana_Jack Laksa Sarawak Pes & 3 Hungry Tummies Sarawak Laksa