Recipe(tried): Malaysian Curry Laksa

Malaysian Curry Laksa

Serve 4

5 T oil
5cm (2") cinnamon
1 sprig curry leaves
650g 91 1/4 lb) chicken pieces on the bone, skinned and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks lemon grass, bottom 10 cm (4") only, bruised
1 litre (4 cups) water
1 t sugar
2 t salt
10 long beans, cut into 3cm (1 1/4") lengths
10 pieces fried tofu "balls" (tofu pok), sliced 1 cm (1/2") thick (see notes)
300ml (1 1/4 cups) thick coconut milk
300g (10 oz) fresh yellow noodles
100g (3 1/2 oz) dried rice vermicelli (meehoon)
500g bean spouts
4 T. crisp fried shallots, optional (can be shop-bought)
4 calamansi limes(aka limau kasturi, halved (see notes and picture)

spice paste:
2 onions or 8 shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic,, chopped
3 red chilies, sliced
1 t shrimp paste (belacan), crumbled
250 ml 91 cup) water
5 T meat curry powder (see notes)

to make the spice paste, blend onions, garlic, chilies, shrimp paste and water until fine. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the curry powder to make a paste.

Heat oil in a roomy saucepan and add the cinnamon and curry leaves, frying for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the spice paste and cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is well cooked and oil separates, about 15 minutes.

Add chicken and lemon grass and cook on medium heat until chicken pieces are firm, 15-20 minutes.

Pour in the water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, add sugar and salt and simmer for 15 minutes before adding the long beans, sliced fried tofu and coconut milk. Simmer for another 10 minutes before switching off the heat.

Meanwhile, put a large pan of water to bowl and blanch (separately): the rice vermicelli (3 minutes), bean spouts (30 seconds) and the yellow noodles (2 minutes). Drain well.

To serve, place a portion of blanched meehoon, yellow noodles and bean sprouts in a deep serving bowl and ladle one a generous helping of curry gravy with chicken and beans. If preferred, top with crisp fried shallots and a drizzle of freshly squeezed calamansi limes.

Notes: the calamansi limes are much smaller compared to the western ones. If not available, just use ONE large green limes and cut it into quarters.

The fried tofu balls aren't really "ball-shaped" but more like small pieces of sponge and with the spongy texture as well. They are NOT the firm fried tofu. These should be soft and feel empty in the middle when squeezed.

In this part of the world, curry powders come in many types. If you can't locate "meat" curry powder, just use the one you like.