Sarawak laksa originates from the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. It is a one of the most popular dish when you mention the Hornbill state. A trip to Sarawak is never complete without indulging in a bowl of this spicy and flavourful soup base noodle which looks like curry. However, it does not taste the same as normal curry. It has a chicken and prawn broth base of sambal belacan, tamarind, garlic, galangal, lemongrass and coconut milk, traditionally topped with omelette strips, chicken strips and prawns.
However, I have chosen to use not only rice vermicelli but also yellow noodles together with bean sprouts, fried tofu as well as chicken pieces instead of chicken strips. Also a generous topping of fresh mint leaves as well as a tinge of lime makes this Sarawak laksa ever so refreshing and delicious.
Home Taste Sarawak Laksa
Home Taste Sarawak Laksa
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Ingredients
- 300 gram rice vermicelli, pre-soaked till just soft
- 300 gram yellow noodles
- 300 gram sarawak laksa paste
- ½ chicken
- 300 gram bean sprouts
- 6 calamansi lime
- 2.5 litres water
- 300 gram prawns, medium-sized, with head and shell
- 200 ml coconut milk, 1 coconut
- 1 tbsp salt, to taste
- 1 tsp sugar, to taste
- 1 stalk mint leave, garnishing
Boil 1 litre of water in a stock pot. When boiled, add 1/2 teaspoon salt followed by prawns. Remove prawns when cooked. Continue to boil the head and shell of prawns for another 30 minutes. Remove the head and shell, keeping the prawn stock.
Separately, boil another 1.5 litre of water in another stock pot. Upon boiling, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the half chicken. Boil on medium heat till chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the stock, cut into small pieces and set aside.
Then add in the sarawak laksa paste into the chicken stock.
Mix the paste into the stock.
Add in the prawn stock.
Using medium to high heat, boil the chicken and prawn stock for at least 30 minutes.
Then turn off heat and sieve the stock using a strainer by pouring the stock into another stock pot to remove the spice.
Bring the stock (now the laksa soup) to a boil again.
Then add in the coconut milk gradually while stirring. Lastly add salt and sugar to taste. And we're done!
Using freshly boiled water, blanche the bean sprouts for 1 minute, drain and set aside.
Next, cook the pre-soaked meehoon by blanching in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
Then blanched yellow noodles for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
Lastly, blanch some fried tofu in the boiling water, to remove excess oil and then drain well.
Put the drained tofu into the laksa soup.
To serve, place blanched noodles and rice vermicelli into a bowl. Then add bread sprouts, chicken pieces and prawns.
Pour the laksa soup over the noodles and ingredients in the bowl. Top with some fresh mint leaves and squeeze lime juice (optional) over the soup before serving.
