Pedas Palette (The Sambal Index)

As much as I would love to make Laksa from scratch all the time, sometimes, I just need a fast and easy meal. When I run out of homemade rempah, this is the store brand that I use.

Take note that all ingredients with a * are optional as they may be hard to find or you don't keep them in your kitchen. I usually always have them on hand.

Broth / Soup

***Serves 2***

2 - 4 Tablespoon	Laksa Paste, add more if you like a stronger taste
	Sesame Oil, enough to fry ingredients
1 Can	Coconut Milk
1 Can	Prawn* and/or Chicken Stock
2 Stalk	Lemongrass*
4	Kaffir Lime Leaves*
3-10	Chili Padis, you can add more if you like it pedas (spicy)* substitutable with Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon	Belacan*, if you like more of the shrimp flavour
3	Shallots* substitutable with Yellow Onions, finely chopped

Noodles

***Measurements based on the smallest packet***

Half a packet	Thick Bee hoon (rice vermicelli) or Yellow noodles
Quarter packet	Mee tai mak (short needle-like rice noodles)

Toppings

Add any of the following ingredients, it's up to your personal preference

***multiple by the servings***

3	Cockles (hum), this is usually not the easiest to find overseas
3-4	Prawns, always better with the skin on
2-3	Fish cake* or Fish Ball
1/2	Tau pok (fried beancurd puffs)
1	Hard-boiled egg
1/2 - 1	Shredded Chicken Thigh, always better with the bone in
1/2	Lime
Handful	Beansprouts
a pinch of	Laksa Leaves* Cilantro
	Sambal Chili, refer to my Pedas Palette (The Sambal Index for Laksa Sambal, you can substitute Nasi Lemak Sambal as well)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) In your Wok/Pot, pour enough sesame oil so your Shallots wont burn and fry on medium heat.

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2) Once the Shallots are caramelized, fry in your Rempah (Laksa Paste), Chili Padis, Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and Belacan.

3) Once it is fragrant and dry, fry in your Prawns until red.

4) Remove your Prawns and fry in your Chicken so that the skin gets slightly crispy.

5) Add in your Prawn and/or Chicken Stock and bring to a boil.

6) Once cooked, shred the Chicken, then add in Coconut Milk to the broth.

7) You can boil the Noodles separately, but I prefer to put them in the broth directly as it soaks up more flavour. Pro tip: The Noodles will soak up a lot of the liquid, so add extra Stock or Water to counter this. Throw in the Cockles, Fish Cake/Ball, and Tau pok, and bring it back to a boil.

8) Top with Beansprouts when Noodles are almost done.

9) Serve immediately once the Noodles are cooked or it will get soggy.

10) Top with a Hard-Boiled Egg, Shredded Chicken, Laksa Leaves or Cilantro, and Lime.