Laksa Noodle Soup Southeast Aisa Flavor

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Laksa noodle soup is rich, flavorful, spicy and delicious Southeast Asian cuisine. The broth is made of curry and coconut milk which is different from other Asian noodle soups such as wonton noodle soup, beef ho fun noodle soup, pork & pickled vegetables noodle soup, pho noodle soup and Taiwanese beef noodle soup. And, it is great to go with a red bean ice drink, lychee slush, grass jelly drink and taro boba as a treat or dessert. Also, this laksa noodle soup recipe has detailed instructions with step by step photos and a video to guide you how to make laksa noodle soup at home for your meal and comfort food.

Love noodles? Check out these beef pho noodle soup, beef chow fun , Hong Kong lo mein, pad thai, Korean jajangmyeon , Singapore rice noodle, vegetable chow mein and instant noodle stir fry recipes.

What is laksa?

Laksa is a general type of noodle soup. It is a popular and flavorful cuisine especially in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. Laksa noodle soup is known for its rich, spicy and aromatic broth which is typically made with a combination of coconut milk, various spices and herbs.

Different regions, laksa tastes slightly different because of the ingredients used for broth. However, there are two most well-known types of laksa: laksa Lemak and Assam laksa.

Laksa lemak is the more common version of laksa. When it mentions laksa, it often refers to this laksa lemak. This laksa features a creamy and spicy coconut milk based broth. The flavored broth usually uses ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, chili paste and various spices.

On the other hand, Assam laksa is also known as Penang laksa. It is a variation of laksa that has a tangy and sour broth instead of coconut milk. It uses tamarind paste or tamarind juice to achieve its distinctive sour flavor. Also, the soup is often made with mackerel fish and various herbs and spices. Therefore, Assam laksa has a sharp, sour and spicy taste different from creamy laksa Lemak.

Besides, the toppings can vary such as chicken, prawns (shrimp), tofu, bean sprouts, boiled egg and fresh herbs like cilantro and mint.

What does laksa noodle soup taste like?

The taste of laksa varies depending on the region and specific recipe. But, it generally has rich, complex, spicy, creamy, aromatic and savory flavors.

Laksa is known for its creamy and slightly spicy broth. The creaminess comes from coconut milk, which gives the soup a rich and smooth texture. The spiciness can vary from mild to spicy, depending on the amount of chili paste used in the recipe.

The soup is aromatic because of herbs and spices like lemongrass, galangal, garlic and shallots. Besides, it has a savory and umami flavor because laksa often contains ingredients like shrimp. This umami flavor enhances the overall depth of the soup.

Unique laksa noodle soup:

In this laksa noodle soup recipe, I don't use laksa paste because it is not easy to find laksa paste around my area. Therefore, I developed this Southeast Asian flavor curry laksa noodle soup recipe that use Thai red curry paste, sha cha sauce (Chinese barbecue sauce made from dried shrimp, fish and chilis), fish sauce, shrimp and coconut milk to make the broth. This is a laksa lemak version because it uses coconut milk.

What are the ingredients in laksa noodle soup?

In this laksa recipe, the ingredients for the broth are Thai red curry paste, sha cha sauce (Chinese barbecue sauce made from dried shrimp, fish and chilis), fish sauce, shrimp and coconut milk.

Also, the topping I use fish balls, fried tofu puffs, bean sprouts, cilantro as a side and serve with rice vermicelli noodles.

What is laksa paste?

Laksa paste is a flavorful and aromatic spice paste or seasoning blend used as a base to make laksa soup. Laksa paste typically contains a variety of herbs, spices and other ingredients that contribute to the unique taste of laksa. The ingredients are typically ground or blended together to create a thick and aromatic laksa paste.

The paste serves as the flavor foundation for the laksa soup when combined with coconut milk and other ingredients. It provides the soup with its characteristic spiciness, richness and complexity of flavors. Depending on personal preferences and regional variations, the specific ingredients and the proportions in laksa paste can vary and result in different variations of the dish.

What noodles for laksa?

Laksa can be made with a variety of noodles and the choice of noodles often depends on personal preference and regional variations. There are two common types of noodles in laksa: rice noodles (Vermicelli) and egg.

Rice noodles are delicate and soak up the flavors of the broth nicely. Or, egg noodles known as Hokkien noodles are another common option for laksa. They are slightly thicker and have a chewy texture which contrasts well with the creamy broth.

What are fried tofu puffs?

Fried tofu puffs also known as tofu pockets or tofu pouches. It is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisines. Tofu puffs are made from tofu that has been deep fried until they puff up and become light and airy. They have a distinctive texture and are often used in both savory and sweet dishes.

Also, they are often simmered in broths or added to stir fries to soak up the flavors of the surrounding ingredients. The crispy exterior and soft interior provide a delightful contrast in texture and make them a popular choice in many Asian recipes. You cannot miss this ingredient in this laksa recipe! The tofu puffs soak up the flavorful laksa broth and make it a delicious taste and texture of the noodle soup.

Cooking tips for how to make laksa noodle soup?

Remove shrimp heads and use to make broth by simmering for 15 minutes.
Drain the shrimp heads. Then, add Thai red curry paste, sha cha sauce, coconut milk and mix them well. Wait until it’s boiling and add deep fried tofu puffs, shrimp, fish balls until they are cooked.
I like to cut deep fried tofu into half because it absorbs the soup better when cooking it. Also, it tastes better.
Remember to add Thai red curry paste to your spiciness. You can add ½ tablespoon at a time.
Cooking the rice vermicelli noodles drain and rinse under cold water
When the broth is ready, pour the curry laksa soup over the rice noodles with bean sprouts, cilantro, shrimp, deep fried tofu and fish ball.

FAQs:

Can I just use laksa paste?

Yes, you can. I used Thai red curry paste and sha cha sauce because I cannot find any laksa paste around where I live. And, I really like this combination of red curry paste, sha cha sauce and coconut milk based soup.

What is sha cha sauce?

Sha cha sauce is also called Chinese barbecue sauce. It is very different from regular USA barbecue sauce. Besides, it is mainly made from brill fish, dried shrimp, oil, garlic, shallots and chilis. And, I like to use Taiwanese brand sha cha sauce.

What kind of rice vermicelli noodles do you use?

I like to use thicker vermicelli rice noodles.

How to cook rice vermicelli noodles?

Boil water and wait until water is boiling. Then, add rice noodles. Let it boil for 5-8 minutes. Drain water and rinse under cold water.

Instructions for how to make laksa noodle soup:

Cooking noodles:

1. Boil a pot of water and wait until the water is boiling. Then, add a pack of rice noodles (small pack 10.58 oz or 300g). Let it boil for 5-8 minutes. Keep stirring the noodles once a while.

2. Drain water and rinse under cold water. Set them aside.

3. Cut 10 pieces of deep fried tofu into half. (So, it's easy to soak up the broth.)

4. Peel 15 pieces of shrimp heads and set them aside.

Making broth:

5. In a pot, add 15 shrimp heads and stir fry them a little bit.

6. After that, add 5 cups of water. Let it boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Then, remove the shrimp heads.

curry laksa soup with coconut milk top view

7. Next, add 3 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste (suggest adding ½ tablespoons at a time) and 2 tablespoons of sha cha sauce. Stir until it mixes well. Then, add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and ½ teaspoon of salt to your taste.

deep fried tofu cooking into the laksa soup top view

8. The following step, add deep fried tofu from step 3, 10 pieces of fish balls and 15 pieces of shrimp cooked until it boils.

Topping:

rice noodles with bean sprouts and cilantro top view

9. While cooking the broth, put cooked rice noodles, bean sprouts and cilantro into the bowl.

cooked noodles with topping shrimp deep fried tofu and fish balls

10. When deep fried tofu puffs, shrimp and fish balls are done, put them on the rice noodles. Then, pour laksa soup over the noodles and prepare to serve.

laksa soup noodles with shrimp fish balls and fried tofu bean sprouts and cilantro

Enjoy this easy and delicious Asian curry laksa noodle soup recipe! Also, check out these Thai chicken satay, Asian shaved ice, soft dinner rolls, California rolls, soy sauce noodle, salt & pepper squid, steamed pork patty and taro ice cream recipes.

Laksa Noodle Soup