Laksa

Rice, Noodles, and Other Grain Foods

Laksa
Ingredients:
1/2 pound thick rice noodles
1/2 pound thin rice vermicelli
3 or four cooked fish cakes, sliced
10 large shrimp, veins removed and discarded, then cut in half the long way
6 peeled hard cooked pigeon eggs cut in halves or 2 peeled thousand year eggs, cut in quarters
1/2 cup cooked chicken meat, sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts, tails removed
3 to 5 dried chili peppers, seeded, blanched, and slivered
1 piece galangal, smashed with the side of a cleaver
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, slivered
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons belachan
4 or 5 candlenuts, cut into quarters
10 dried shrimp, soaked in hot water, mashed, and drained
6 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
5 shallots, peeled and mashed
2 two-inch squares of dried bean curd, slivered
4 cups fresh coconut milk or 2 cups canned mixed with two cups cooled boiled water
Preparation:
1. In separate bowls, put the noodles and vermicelli and cover then with boiling water for ten minutes, then drain and put into a large pot.
2. Add the fish cake pieces, the fresh shrimp, eggs, chicken meat, bean sprouts, chili peppers, galangal, and lemon grass and stir with one cup of boiling water.
3. Heat a fry pan, add the oil, and fry the belachan for one minute, add the candlenut pieces, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots, and bean curd pieces and stir fry another minute or two; then put this mixture into the noodle mixture and add the coconut milk (and water, if needed) and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes, then serve.

Flavor and Fortune is a magazine of: