Laksa is a noodle soup hailing from the Peranakan culture. It is known to be most popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Thick wheat or vermicelli rice noodles in a light coconut broth, with chicken, prawns, or fish. The lemongrass lends all the sensory notes, and the spices, the depth. I made a vegan recipe, without fish sauce. The addition of soy sauce added the wee bit of umami.
I first tried my first Laksa in Singapore. The Hawker center made famous by Chef Gordon Ramsay, 328 Katong Laksa. The strong prawn broth and lots of chilies add to the delight of this noodles soup. Read all about Singapore food adventures & the Best things to do.
Love noodles soups, try Vegan Khow Suey
Lemongrass and coconut broth tofu and noodle bowl
You might also like 15-minute Crack noodles
& Vegetarian Pad Thai
Ingredients for Laksa – serves 4
For the Laksa soup
- Onion – 2, medium-sized, roughly chopped
- Garlic – 4, medium-sized cloves, roughly chopped
- Ginger – 1/2 inch, roughly chopped
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Lemongrass – 2 stems with leaves
- Dried red chilies – 2, de-seeded and soaked
- Oil – 2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder 1 tsp
- Coconut milk – 4 cups (divided, 3 cups thin + 1 cup thick)
- Brown sugar – 2 tbsp
- Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
Vegetables & Noodles
- Chopped vegetables – 2 cups (I used baby corn, zucchini, carrot, pumpkin, broccoli, and yellow squash)
- Noodles of your choice – 2 oz (I used soba noodles)
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Salt – 1/4 tsp
Garnishes
- Mung bean sprouts – 1/2 cup
- Fresh coriander leaves – 1 cup
- Chilly oil – 4-5 tbsp
- Lemon wedges
Method
This recipe would use both lemongrass stalk and the leaves to add more flavour.
For the Soup
- Remove the leaves from the lemongrass and wash thoroughly. Heat 2 cups of water, add the lemongrass leaves and boil on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the paste for the curry. Remove the thick, hard layers of the lemongrass stalk and chop the soft part.
- Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass stalk, cumin seeds, and red chilies into a blender. Pulse till smooth paste forms.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the paste and fry on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the turmeric powder and coriander powder and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lemongrass water with the leaves, 3 cups coconut milk and brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and continue to slow cook on medium-low flame for 30 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and fish out and remove the lemongrass leaves from the soup.
- Mix in the soy sauce and last cup of coconut milk. Season with salt.
For the toppings and noodles
While your soup is cooking, work on the other elements.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and add the vegetables. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover, and cook for around 10 minutes until the vegetables are done.
- Bring a pot to boil and cook the noodles as per the instructions. Toss with salt.
Build your Laksa
Add the soup to a bowl, add in some noodles and veggies. Top each bowl with 1 tbsp of chili oil, lots of coriander leaves, lemon wedges, and sprouts (I didn’t have any, so I did without ’em) Mix it all together before digging in.
Vegan Laksa
Materials
Laksa soup
- 2 nos. Onion Medium-sized, roughly chopped
- 4 nos. Garlic cloves Medium-sized, roughly chopped
- ½ inch Ginger Roughly chopped
- 2 stems Lemongrass with leaves
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 nos. Dried Red chilies de-seeded and soaked
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 4 cups Coconut milk divided, 3 cups thin + 1 cup thick
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- Salt to taste
Vegtables and Noodles
- 2 cups Chopped vegetables I used baby corn, zucchini, carrot, pumpkin, broccoli, and yellow squash
- 2 ounces Noodles
- ¼ tsp Salt
Garnishes
- 4 tbsp Chilli Oil
- ½ cup Mung bean sprouts
- 1 Cup Coriander leaves
- 1 Lemon Cut into wedges
Instructions
- This recipe would use both lemongrass stalk and the leaves to add more flavour.
For the soup
- Remove the leaves from the lemongrass and wash thoroughly. Heat 2 cups of water, add the lemongrass leaves and boil on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the paste for the curry. Remove the thick, hard layers of the lemongrass stalk and chop the soft part.
- Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass stalk, cumin seeds, and red chilies into a blender. Pulse till smooth paste forms.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the paste and fry on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the turmeric powder and coriander powder and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lemongrass water with the leaves, 3 cups coconut milk, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and continue to slow cook on medium-low flame for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and fish out and remove the lemongrass leaves from the soup.
- Mix in the soy sauce and last cup of coconut milk. Season with salt.
Prepping the veggies and noodles
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and add the vegetables. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover, and cook for around 10 minutes until the vegetables are done.
- Bring a pot to boil and cook the noodles as per the instructions. Toss with salt.
Build your soup
- Add the soup to a bowl, add in some noodles and veggies. Top each bowl with 1 tbsp of chili oil, lots of coriander leaves, lemon wedges, and sprouts (I didn’t have any, so I did without ’em) Mix it all together before digging in.
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