Malaysian Curry Laksa with Prawns, Chicken and Tofu Puffs

What you need

• 8 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 15 min, seeds shaken out
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced
• 3 cm galangal, peeled and sliced
• 4 candlenuts, or macadamia nuts
• 1 tsp shrimp paste, belacan
• 2 tbsp curry powder, Malaysian meat curry powder if possible
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 boneless chicken breast, about 250 g (9 oz)
• 1 l (4 cups) chicken stock
• 400 ml (14 oz) coconut milk
• 12 raw king prawns, peeled, tails on
• 12 tofu puffs, halved
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• salt, to taste
• 300 g (10 oz) fresh yellow egg noodles
• 150 g (5 oz) thin rice vermicelli
• 150 g (5 oz) bean sprouts
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 1 handful mint leaves, or Vietnamese coriander
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 fresh red chilli, sliced, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Drain the dried chillies and put them in a blender with the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, candlenuts and shrimp paste.

2. 2

   Add a splash of water and blend to a smooth, thick paste, scraping down the sides as needed.

3. 3

   Stir the curry powder and turmeric into the paste.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Fry the paste, stirring often, until it darkens and the oil separates out, 8-10 min.

5. 5

   Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.

6. 6

   Lower the chicken into the pot and simmer gently until cooked through to 74 °C (165 °F) inside, 12-15 min. Lift it out, let it cool a little, then shred it.

7. 7

   Stir the coconut milk into the pot and bring it back to a bare simmer. Do not let it boil hard or it may split.

8. 8

   Season the broth with the fish sauce, sugar and salt.

9. 9

   Add the tofu puffs and press them down so they soak up the broth.

10. 10

    Drop in the prawns and simmer until pink and curled, 2-3 min.

11. 11

    Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles and the vermicelli in a separate pot of boiling water following the pack times, then drain.

12. 12

    Blanch the bean sprouts in the same water for 30 seconds and drain.

13. 13

    Divide both kinds of noodles and the bean sprouts between deep bowls.

14. 14

    Top with the shredded chicken, prawns and tofu puffs, then ladle the hot broth over.

15. 15

    Finish each bowl with egg halves, mint and slices of fresh chilli, and serve with the lime wedges.

Imported from maktok.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.