Short on time, big on flavour: RecipeTin Eats’ 20-minute laksa

Name: Short on time, big on flavour: RecipeTin Eats’ 20-minute laksa
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil; ½ cup (150g) laksa paste, preferably Por Kwan brand (see note); 400g good-quality coconut milk (see note); 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock, low sodium (see note); 200g dried rice vermicelli; 20 raw prawns, peeled, deveined and tails left on; 1 bunch baby bok choy, large stems cut in half so they’re all roughly the same size; 8 tofu puffs, cut in half (see note); 2 tbsp fish sauce; juice of ½ lime or more to taste, plus extra wedges for serving; 1 cup bean sprouts; 1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves; 1 or 2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced (optional); 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (see note, optional)

You can make this spicy, coconutty, umami-rich noodle soup faster than calling for takeaways.

Nagi Maehashi

April 23, 2023

Speedy prawn and noodle laksa with tofu puffs.Nagi Maehashi

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

My best laksa takes an hour to make, and involves a semi-homemade soup broth.

This 20-minute version is 90 per cent as good. It’s almost irritatingly too good because now I’m wondering whether anyone will bother using my best laksa recipe when you can make something nearly as good in less than half the time.

I’ve deployed a few tricks to deliver top-shelf results so quickly. Cook off the laksa paste really well and reduce the coconut milk. Both these steps intensify the umami in the broth. And use prawns as the protein, which drives home the prawn flavour-base of the laksa paste.

The SOS checklist

Fewer than 12 ingredients ✔ (excluding optional ingredients)
Ready in under 30 minutes ✔

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup (150g) laksa paste, preferably Por Kwan brand (see note)
400g good-quality coconut milk (see note)
3 cups (750ml) chicken stock, low sodium (see note)
200g dried rice vermicelli
20 raw prawns, peeled, deveined and tails left on
1 bunch baby bok choy, large stems cut in half so they’re all roughly the same size
8 tofu puffs, cut in half (see note)
2 tbsp fish sauce
juice of ½ lime or more to taste, plus extra wedges for serving
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 or 2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced (optional)
2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (see note, optional)

Method

Step 1
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes until it transforms from being wet and loose into a dry paste. Reduce the heat if it’s catching on the base of the pot.
Step 2
Pour in the coconut milk, then once small bubbles appear, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Add the stock, return to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, soak the vermicelli noodles following packet directions. Drain and set aside.
Step 5
Add the prawns, bok choy and tofu puffs to the broth and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.
Step 6
To serve, divide noodles between bowls. Spoon over soup broth and all the add-ins. Top with bean sprouts, coriander leaves, chilli and crispy fried shallots (if using). Devour!

Notes

I highly recommend using Por Kwan laksa paste, a popular brand that is widely available at Asian grocers. If you cannot find it and are using a supermarket laksa paste, cook the paste with the 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (rather than adding it at the end) to develop extra umami before adding the coconut milk. (Don’t add more fish sauce to the broth at step 5 or it will be too salty!)
Not all coconut milk is created equal. Cheaper brands contain more water than coconut, which means less flavour! Aim for 80 per cent coconut or more (check the ingredients label). Price is a clue to quality.
While it may sound odd to use chicken stock for a prawn laksa, it’s far better than using store-bought fish stock from supermarkets.
Tofu puffs can be found in the fridge at the supermarket with the Asian ingredients as well as at Asian stores and some grocers. They’re spongy delights that absorb the flavourful broth so it squirts into your mouth when you bite them – an essential part of the laksa experience.
Crispy fried shallots are available at Asian grocers and the Asian aisle at large supermarkets. The crispy, salty fried shallot spices add texture and pops of salt to anything you sprinkle them on (and I sprinkle them on a LOT of things).