Laksa is a rich coconut milk-laced noodle broth. Spicy, tangy, sweet with loads of textures, this dish is a firework in each spoonful.
Singapore laksa is a soup made with bite sized rice noodles, seafood (commonly shrimp and cockles, or clams), a creamy curry and coconut milk-based broth with plenty of seasonings and spices. The spices often include lemongrass, palm sugar, spicy chilies, and galangal among others.
I strongly believe that a great laksa is not made starting from a jar of paste, a great laksa starts with curry paste made from scratch using fresh ingredients as that is what gives it body and flavours. It is incredibly easy to make and packs a lot of that authentic flavour!
I had it for the first time in Singapore and just fell head over heels in love. With laksa, the devil is in the spicy and aromatic paste that needs to be slowly fried off for as long as possible for all its amazing flavours to develop. Then it is about the creaminess of coconut versus the acidity of lime and the freshness of sprouts and herbs, versus the toothiness of noodles. Typically, laksa paste contains shrimp paste for umami flavour however I do not like the smell of it hence I do not use it at home. I have written it as optional in the ingredients.
There are different types of laksa, but the two dominant ones are curry laksa (as in this recipe) and asam laksa/Penang Laksa (with no coconut). Laksa is the king of soups. Seriously!! The broth has the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and spicy tastes. So, addictive! A hearty and comforting soup that you can enjoy all year round.
