Laksa, my way.

I had my very first bowl of Laksa while in Langkawi 2 years ago. I liked it so much, I decided to try few more at  the hawkers centers of  KL on the same year. It was both a surprise and a pleasure to discover that there are many version of this  tasty noodle soup.  Even  the neighbouring Singaporeans  have their own interpretation of this versatile dish.  There are creamy laksas, coconut-ey, spicy , sour,  meaty or  shrimpy  and I can not make up my mind which among the countless bowls of laksa tasted the best . Difficult indeed for each is just as good as the other.

Laksa

It's FF's birthday and I purposely took a day off. Asked him what he wants to eat on his birthday. ''Surprise me!'', is all that he says. I was contemplating on cooking his old time favourites , but it would hardly be a surprise then. It has to be something he haven't had at home, something that would remind me of the good times and good sunny places. I make laksa from scratch . Making it require a bit of work but it was fun. 

The Laksa turned out delicious and  hearty with just enough spiciness to tickle the palate. Perfect for today's cold and icy day. A slice of his favourite still-warm cake Apple crumble and I got myself one happy camper. Happy birthday to my number one fan, FF!

Laksa ala Emily.

Serves 4

Laksa Paste:

3 pcs. dried chillie

1 tbsp. dried shrimp

1 tbsp. toasted belacan 

2 cloves of garlic

2 shallots

1 thumb size ginger

1 thumb size galangal

1 thumb-size turmeric 

( I used 1 tbsp. powdered since I can't find fresh one)

2 stalks lemongrass

juice of 1 lime

3 kaffir leaves

1 tsp. coriander leaves paste 

( you can take  a handful of chopped fresh coriander)

Others:

400-450  g chicken 

( I used a whole poussin, or young chicken)

150 g shrimps

fishballs 3- 4 pcs/ person ( optional)

1/3 cup coconut oil

800 ml chicken stock

400 ml coconut milk

2 stalks lemongrass

3 kaffir  lime leaves

1-2 tbsp. palm sugar

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. lime juice

a handful of bean sprout

pork crackling ( optional) 

your choice of noodle, about 50-75 g/person

egg, 1/ person

Method: 

Soak dried shrimp in 1/4 cup water and let it stand for 20 minutes. Drain. Prepare laksa paste ingredients by chopping them roughly.

Using a food processor or a mortal and pestle, grind ingredients together until it turns into a paste.Do not hesitate to use the belacan. This toasted shrimp paste might smell like Satan's ass but it's essential to the recipe and will actually turn the whole dish heavenly aromatic once cooked.

 Prepare other ingredients .Wash and clean poussin, you can use chicken leg, thigh or breast instead. Cut into serving pieces.

Bring chicken stock into a boil. Add chicken pieces. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked but to overly so. Nobody wants dry and overcooked birds. Take chicken piece out from the pot and set aside.

Add fish balls into the stock. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Take out and set aside.

Cook shrimps until it turns pink. Also about 3-5 minutes.  Fish out and set aside.

 Heat coconut oil in a wok or pot. Dump the laksa paste into it.

  Cook for 7 minutes of until oil separates. The smell coming from the work is just divine.

Pour the hot stock into the wok/pot. Bring to a boil.

Put the chicken pieces back. Add lemongrass, smash it with the back of the kind first to release its aroma. Then the lime leaves. 

Add the coconut milk. Season the laksa with fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, salt and pepper. Keep on testing until it suits your taste.   In many recipes,   fried tofu could be added, but since it's not available in my place, I just omit it. 

Now for the fun part. Assemble the laksa. First cook noodle of your choice according to the package's intruction. I used both rice and egg noodle. Divide into individual serving bowl. I used 50 g of egg noodle on each bowl and 20 g rice noodle. The whole dish can make up to 4-5 large bowls.

 Put chicken over the noodles. 

 Arrange shrimps and fish balls over it. 

Carefully ladle laksa soup unto the bowl. I like my laksa to be not overly soupy but it's a personal preference.

Laksa

 Add the rest of the toppings like bean spouts,  pork crackling , chopped greens like coriander or spring onion and chopped red chilis if you like it really spicy. If you want soft boil eggs then bring a pot of water into a boil. Add the eggs and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes.  Take eggs out from the hot water and submerge in cold water for 2 minutes. Then once cool enough to handle, carefully peel eggs. Waa lah! You will have soft , runny egg yolks.

Enjoy your laksa!

Malay Beef Curry

Spices intimidate the bejesus out of me. Pretty normal if one has to deal with something unfamiliar  .  Like, driving a car for the first time, pricking a stranger with a sharp, pointy object as student nurse or  cooking a foreign  ingredient. I wish,  I could say that  I grew up watching my own mother cook or have anybody in my family taught me the ways of the kitchen. But, it was not the case . Numerous cookbooks and food blogs helped me feed my husband through the years. Looking at his and my now- widening girth, I guess, I'm not doing a bad job. But truth remains, I still don't know what herb goes well with what meat. Equally clueless at  what and how much spices I should use in a particular dish. Unlike most Asian cuisines, Filipino kitchen is not as spice laden as its neighbor. We  rarely use cloves, cardamom ,nutmeg and the likes in our cooking, thus making me, an ultimate but average asin (salt) at paminta(pepper) Jane. 

Now, my good Friend Nancy is just the opposite. Being Malaysian, she is expose to the amalgam of her Malay roots, as well as Chinese and Indian influences that are well represented in her country. The contents of her German kitchen is as diverse as her heritage. Glasses are filled with all things aromatic and pungent, spices and herbs she had long mustered and used. She makes impressive curries. Rich, earthy,  very flavourful, enough heat to tickle the palate and  simply über-delicious . It's so good, people ask her a potful of that  for birthdays as a present! 

Her famous Kari Lembu ( Malay Beef Curry) is phenomenal. Secret? Confluencing Malaysian cooking and Indian spices. I have been begging for recipe since I've tried it . Finally,  last month, I was greatly rewarded. I went home with a copy of that recipe, a pack of her Indian curry powder , a bottle of filled with different spices and the widest grin my mouth would allow. My husband was ecstatic ! He loves Indian food and Nancy's curry! 

It was a sunny and warm Saturday but instead of going out and soaking up Vit. D, I was busy in the Kitchen like a woman possessed. FF was breathing on my neck, cutting onions, peeling potatoes, washing dishes and throwing speculative glances on the wok . As the wondrous smell starts to waft  through the Kitchen, he whiffed and sigh looking relieved and hopeful. Hmmm, smells like we're at Namaskaar . Our favorite Indian Restaurant. I grew an inch taller. We ate it for lunch on Sunday, for like all stews, this curry tasted much much better on the next day.We had some home-made , still pipping hot Naan bread and mango lassi with it. This was the very first Indian inspired meal I cooked at home. FF said, it was his best meal at home so far. I grew another mm taller and few inches rounder. Thank you,Nancy!

 Kari Lembu ala Nancy

1 kg beef for stewing, cubed. ( could be replaced with chicken or lamb)

1 stalk lemon grass, crushed and sliced

Spices ( 1 cinnamon stalk, 3 Star anise, 4-5 Cardamon pods, 5-6 cloves)

1 big onion, peeled and finely diced.

5-6 tbsp. Mandras Indian Curry Powder ( mild )

5 tbsp. oil for sautéing 

4 tomatoes, sliced into wedges

4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and sliced

300 ml water

1 small can coconut milk

Salt and pepper
few sprigs of curry leaves

Optional* dried chili's

Cooking Procedure:

1.Heat oil in the pan/wok. Sauté onion and lemongrass until aromatic. Stir in curry powder and the spices. Add chili powder/flakes if using. Be careful not to burn the curry.

2. Add the meat ( beef, chicken or lamb). Stir well until each piece of meat is slathered in aromatic curry. Turn heat to high, keep stirring until meat is thoroughly brown . Add in tomato wedges. Pour water into the meat and spices mixture. Bring to a boil the lower the heat , cover and let the dish simmer gently until meat is fork tender. I cooked my beef for about 2 1/2 hours. Chicken cooks faster. I haven't cooked lamb at home so I can not tell. Stir once in a while to prevent meat from sticking at the bottom of the pan. Add half a cup of water if dish turns too dry.

3. Once meat is just tender, add in sliced potatoes and coconut milk. Cook dish for another 15 minutes . Stir in Curry leaves .Check potatoes for doneness. Season dish with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Malay Beef Curry

Thick, rich, aromatic and so, so yummy!This recipe is a keeper!