Laksa with Chinese Influences

Fish and Seafood

Laksa with Chinese Influences
Ingredients:
1/2 pound thin rice noodles, soaked until hot water until soft, then put in ice cold water
6 ounces shrimp, peeled, their veins removed, shells reserved, shrimp cut into half-inch pieces
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
3 fried doufu cakes, cut in quarters
2 fish cakes, cut into small cubes
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 stalks lemon grass, white parts only
1 knob fresh ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
10 peeled almonds or candlenuts
1 Tablespoon belachan
5 dried chili peppers, seeds discarded
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound bean sprouts, heads and tails removed, heads reserved, tails discarded
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into matchstick-size pieces
Preparation:
1. Mix rice noodles, shrimp, shrimp shells in a net bag for easy removal, vegetable oil, coconut milk, three cups of boiling water, doufu and fish cake pieces in a large pot, and set aside for ten minutes.
2. Put scallions and lemon grass pieces, the ginger, almonds, belachan, chili peppers, turmeric, and the onion in a blender and make a paste turning the motor on and off.
3. Add the blended paste to the rice noodle mixture and bring to just below the boil, stir well and sinner for two minutes, not longer, then discard the shrimp shell bag before adding the bean sprout heads, the bean sprouts, and the cucumber pieces. Then serve.

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