Asam Laksa
472kcal6.1g protein0.9g fat109.9g carbs*Estimates computed from the ingredient list; cost uses average US supermarket prices. Not a substitute for packaging measurements or your receipt.
sometimes contains gluten, dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, sesame, soy, shellfish, fish — check the label
Restrictions
Sometimes contains — check the labelgluten (chili dried, galangal) · dairy (chili dried, galangal) · egg (chili dried, galangal) · peanut (chili dried, galangal) · tree nut (chili dried, galangal) · sesame (chili dried, galangal) · soy (chili dried, galangal) · shellfish (chili dried, galangal) · fish (chili dried, galangal)Some brands have it, some do not. The recipe cannot tell, so this is the one you check yourself.
Diets
Vegetarian · checkVegan · checkPescatarian · checkNo pork · checkNo alcohol · check
Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.
Ingredients
Servings:
| 2 lb | whole mackerel (cleaned) |
| 2 l | water |
| 80 g | tamarind paste |
| 8 unit | dried red chiles (soaked) |
| 6 unit | shallots |
| 1 oz | fresh galangal (sliced) |
| 2 unit | lemongrass stalks |
| 1 tbsp | belacan / fermented shrimp paste |
| 1 bunch | daun kesum / Vietnamese coriander |
| 1 unit | torch ginger flower (thinly sliced) |
| 14 oz | thick rice noodles |
| 1 unit | cucumber (julienned) |
| 1 cup | pineapple (thinly sliced) |
| 1 unit | red onion (thinly sliced) |
| ½ cup | fresh mint leaves |
| 1 tsp | salt |
Steps
- simmer15 minfish just cooked through; flesh releases cleanly from bonePoach the mackerel gently in the water until just cooked, then lift it out and reserve the broth. A hard boil breaks the fish into the stock before the bones can be removed cleanly and makes the broth unnecessarily cloudy.
- prep12 minall bones and skin removed; half the flesh flaked, half mashed finelyPick the fish carefully from the bones and divide the flesh in two. Mash roughly half so it can thicken the broth naturally while keeping the rest in visible flakes for texture.
- blend8 minchiles, shallots, galangal, lemongrass and belacan form a coarse aromatic pasteBlend the soaked chiles, shallots, galangal, tender lemongrass and belacan into a coarse paste. The paste should be fine enough to disperse but not so liquefied that the aromatics lose all identity.
- simmer30 minbroth sharply sour, aromatic and lightly thickened by mashed fishReturn the broth to a simmer with the spice paste, tamarind, daun kesum, torch ginger and mashed fish. Cook gently until the raw chile-shallot edge disappears and the tamarind tastes integrated rather than simply acidic.
- boil7 minrice noodles tender but resilient, then thoroughly drainedCook the rice noodles separately until tender, then drain well. Keeping noodle starch out of the broth preserves the soup's bright sour character and prevents a gummy texture as bowls sit.
- season3 minbroth balanced between sour, chile heat, fish savoriness and saltReturn the reserved fish flakes to the broth only long enough to heat through and adjust salt. Avoid prolonged stirring after this point or the distinct flakes will disappear into the soup.
- garnish5 minhot broth over noodles; cucumber, pineapple, onion and mint added cold at serviceDivide noodles among bowls, ladle over the hot fish broth, and finish generously with cucumber, pineapple, onion and mint. The raw garnishes are structural: their cool crunch and sweetness offset the concentrated sour-hot broth.