Prawn & Tofu Laksa

I think the best part about knowing how to, and loving to cook is the fact that i can make what i feel like eating! Particularly living living close by a market and a supermarket, i generally don't plan my Friday night dinner and cook whatever takes my fancy. And today it was laksa! Laksas vary a lot. This one is very creamy, with a warmth rather than spice, which i prefer to pick up from a chilli garnish. This is a very fresh version, good for a warm evening.

Ingredients

Laksa Paste (will make around 1.5 cups)

• 6 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 stems lemon grass
• 4 birds eye chillis or 10 soaked dried chillis
• 1 5cm knob of galangal, or ginger if you can't get it
• 2 heaped tsp fresh tumeric, or 1 heap tsp dried
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 2 tbsp peanut oil

Laksa (per person)

• 6 king prawns, shelled with tails left on
• 1/4 cup laksa paste
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tofu puffs, sliced
• 1 handful bean sprouts
• I small handful vietnamese mint
• 1 sliced birds eye chilli
• 1 tsp fried shallots
• 2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 handful rice noodles

Method

Paste

Coarsely chop all ingredients and add to blender with peanut oil.

Blend until fine paste (add water if needed to assist in blending)

Refrigerate or freeze until required

Laksa

Cover rice noodles in boiling water and set aside

Heat wok over high heat

Add paste and fry for 2 minutes or until very fragrant

Add coconut milk and stock and bring to simmer

Taste for seasoning

Add prawns and leave to simmer until prawns are cooked.

Meanwhile, once noodles are soft, arrange in the bottom of a deep bowl.

Arrange tofu puffs and bean sprouts above the noodles.

Arrange prawns over the tofu and ladle over the laksa soup

Garnish with the spring onions, Vietnamese mint, chilli and fried shallots