How to make Nyonya Prawn Curry Laksa

MasterChef winner shows how to make popular Peranakan spicy noodle soup

Laksa is a dish that is increasingly becoming popular in the UK.

And celebrity chef Ping Coombes shares her mouth-watering laksa recipe incorporating seafood.

“There’s been an explosion of this dish and there are so many versions of it,” she said.

MasterChef champion and Chi Kitchen Executive Chef Ping Coombes (Ping Coombes)

How to make Nyonya Prawn Curry Laksa

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g laksa paste, homemade or shop bought

1.2 ltr water

250ml coconut milk

1 tbs chicken stock powder

500g rice vermicelli

6 pieces of beancurd puff, cut in half

For the poaching the prawns

400g raw tiger prawns, shelled

¼ tsp salt

350ml water

Garnish

A bunch of mint leaves

4 wedges of lime

50g beansprouts

4 tsp chilli shrimp oil (optional)

2 soft boil eggs, peeled and halved

Crispy shallots

Nyonya Prawn Curry Laksa

Method:

First poach the prawns for 2 – 3 minutes depending on size. Once they are cooked remove them. You can use the poaching liquid to make the laksa broth, just top it up with water till it reaches 1.2ltr

Bring water, laksa paste, coconut milk and chicken stock powder to boil. Add beancurd puff and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt if necessary.

Divide the noodles into 4 bowls

Arrange prawns, beansprouts, a few mint leaves and ½ egg ontop of noodles.

Remove the beancurd puffs and place 3 slices each ontop of noodles. Making sure the broth is still piping hot, pour the broth onto the noodles. You can put it back on the boil if not.

Serve with lime, shrimp chilli oil and a sprinkling of crispy shallots.

Note: Homemade laksa paste recipe can be found in Ping's book Malaysia.

This recipe is adapted from MALAYSIA: Recipes from a Family Kitchen by Ping Coombes (Orion). Photography (c) Laura Edwards.