Chicken Laksa Soup
There is no pic of the finished product opps! Why? I was tooo excited and only remembered while eating to take a picture. I will edit and update as soon as I can force this into the kids again, Im sure Nicole Davies and Kerrie O'Brien will back me up on it smells and tastes delicious!
Although I have called this Chicken Laksa don't be afraid to use prawns, firm fish, keep it vegetarian or even tofu. The paste I use you will find the recipe for on the blog. If you cant make your own when you buy 1 please look at it. If it doesn't look like a curry paste please don't use it. The flavor will not be there. Laksa should be crisp and fresh and some of the jarred really are not yum. If I find 1 I like ill happily share it, till then Ill keep making it. Its not cheap and calls for fresh garlic and ginger, with the staples you already have in the pantry you probably only need to search up galangal and shrimp paste! BOOM fresh paste!
Lets talk noodles, My son Sam and I eat the vermicelli rice, my partner Terry likes the thick style, my daughter Grace likes none at all. I really don't care, I just want to eat it.. I have been using the Soba noodles because they are less processed made in the traditional style. A thinner noodle picks up more soup so you get more flavor from the soup then the noodle.
When serving I always have fresh coriander, fresh red chili, extra chopped toasted peanuts and maybe some fried shallots.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast Fillet - 600g
- Kaffir Lime Leaves - 2
- Laksa Paste - 3/4 cup
- Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
- Chicken Stock - 4 cups (1 per person)
- Coconut Cream - 400 ml
- Palm Sugar - 2 tbsps
- Fish Sauce - 1 tbsp
- Fresh Lime - Just of half (use other half for serving)
- Vermicelli Rice Noodles (Your choice) - 200g
- Bean Sprouts - 1 cup
- Carrot - 1
- Snow peas - 1 cup
- Garnish
- Fresh Thai Basil - To taste
- Fresh Coriander - To taste
- Fresh Chilli - To taste
- Shallots - 2 stalks (1/2 per person)
Instructions
- Prepping all the ingredients. Slice chicken into manageable slices (not dice) around 0.5cm thickness, peel and julienne carrots, top and tail snow peas and finely slice, shred kiffir lime leaves as thin as possible. Have all others measured out ready to go including garnish.
- Half precook your noodles. I like to cook them in the soup for a few minutes so they soak in the flavor, you need to be able to stir so they need to be flexible.
- Heat oil in a wok, stir fry chicken until slightly browned and completely sealed. Remove and set aside.
- Turn heat back to medium (5) and remove wok to allow it to cool for around 30 seconds before adding the laksa paste. Why? The Thai people who have an amazing flavor cook their pastes longer and gentler, not hard and fast so I'm listening to them.Anyway back to cooking... Add paste and return to the heat. Continuously move paste around for around 2 to 3 minutes till fragrant and the oils start to separate. Return to previous heat (7).
- Add coconut cream, choice of stock, fish sauce and palm sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add your noodles. Just before the noodles are completely cooked add your fresh veggies, excluding bean sprouts, for 30 seconds so they heat up but remain crisp
- Remove from heat and serve. I find it easiest to tong the noodles and veg then ladle the broth. Top with bean sprouts, shallots and any other garnish of choice. Enjoy!
Allergens
This does freeze well, but I would suggest if making a big batch to freeze don’t add your fresh veggies. Freeze with just soup broth, meat and possibly noodles. Add veggies when heating so you still get the crispness associated with Laksa.
If you want to make a banquet and look fancy for guests, why not cook up some spring rolls or dumplings. As usual, store will work a treat but yes I make my own. Recipes might just show up!
A warning/tip for this the kaffir lime leaves can be unpleasant with the fibrous texture. I have used the zest but it can be overpowering. Alternatively double the amount, roughly bruise them with a few hits of the meat mallet and discard them upon serving. This is mainly for the kids comfort. This being the only complaint I get, other then, not again mum really…
Play with this recipe, make it your own.
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