savoury

Asam Laksa

• time: 90
• servings: 5

Ingredients

• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 30 g turmeric
• 40 g galangal
• 10 g ginger
• fresh sardines
• 1.3 kg water
• 1 asam gelugor
• 60 g asam jawa
• 30 g chilli boh
• 5 tomatoes
• 2 tsp salt
• to taste sugar
• MSG
• laksa noodles
• cucumber
• 1 handful fresh mint
• 1 ginger flower
• 1 red onion
• 2 slices pineapple
• iceberg lettuce
• prawn paste
• bird eye chillies
• Vietnamese coriander

Cookware

• large pot

Method

1. Cut lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, and ginger small. Blend with a splash of water.
2. Boil fresh sardines with water in a large pot. Strain the stock and allow the sardines to cool. Peel the cooked sardine meat off the bones and set aside.
3. Add the blended paste to the fish stock along with asam gelugor (tamarind slice), asam jawa (tamarind paste), chilli boh, tomatoes cubed, salt, sugar, and a pinch of MSG (optional). Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Mix the peeled sardine meat back into the soup.
5. Cook laksa noodles according to packet instructions and divide between bowls.
6. Ladle the soup over the noodles and serve with cucumber julienned, fresh mint, ginger flower finely diced, red onion sliced, pineapple sliced, iceberg lettuce julienned, prawn paste (belacan), bird eye chillies, and Vietnamese coriander (laksa leaf).