- Yield: 4 serves
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Laksa Paste
Laksa originated in Malaysia, with my introduction to this style of food I have fallen in love with it! I have tried a few jarred types but found myself add so much fresh flavors to get crispness, I thought lets give making it a go. So this is what I have come up with.
Tips for this 1 is make sure your fresh ingredients are fresh! I purchased some galangal which was so woody and fibrous I had to blend it for way too long and would have had no chance with the mortar and pestle. Another cheat is the lemongrass, I do very often use the tube stuff (I know cringe). However it is available at asian grocers blended up in the frozen section ready to go. Great product if you can get it.
Ingredients
- Ground Coriander - 1 tsp
- Sweet Paprika - 1/2 tsp
- Ground Tumeric - 1/2 tsp
- Toasted Peanuts - 2 tbsp
- Brown Onion - 1 Medium
- Lemongrass - 2 fresh stalks white only (2 tbsps tube)
- Coriander Roots - 1 bunch
- Galangal - 3 cm
- Fresh Ginger - 3 cm
- Garlic Cloves - 2 cloves
- Fresh Chillis - 3, red if you like hot, green for mild
- Shrimp Paste - 2 tsp
- Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Peel and roughly crop up galangal, garlic cloves and ginger. If using fresh lemongrass only use the white section, remove outer hard tusk and give it a good whack with the meat mallet to break up the woody fibers before finely chopping. If toasting your own peanuts, try to remove as much skin as possible by rubbing in a clean tea towel as it can get bitter.
- Toast dry ground ingredients in a fry pan on a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, till they are fragrant.
- Place all ingredients into the food processor and blend till a smooth paste is formed. Or go old school and use a mortar and pestle. The flavor is different as its released "softly" rather then the harshness of a processor, but who has the wrists for that these days..
- Let it sit for a few hrs for the flavors to develop. Can be kept in the fridge for 4 days.
As an alternative to peanuts you can use 1 tsp sesame seed oil, and either disregard nuts or use cashews.
This freezes well in a zip lock bag, make sure its completely defrosted before you start cooking.
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