I'm continuing the South East Asian cooking theme this week with a different kind of broth. We're always looking for a good excuse to get the ramen spoons and chopsticks out and this Chicken and Mushroom Laksa is the perfect recipe for the occasion. Laksa is a Malaysian noodle soup, often heavily spiced, with a coconut milk base. It's completely different in taste to the Khao soi, the other noodle based broth I've shared on the blog. Rather than a punchy spicy thai curry flavour, this dish has a much gentler citrus base, using lemongrass paste, miso and the whole juice of a lime.
As is the case with a lot of South East Asian recipes, the ingredients list looks a little intimidating, but it all comes together very quicky, and most ingredients can easily be found in the supermarket. It's also easy to make vegetarian/vegan by substituting vegetable stock and tofu (instead of chicken). If you aren't able to get hold of miso, just add a little more soy sauce to taste. And if you made my peanut and broccoli pad thai, you'll have already got the tamarind in the cupboard! You may have started to notice by now that a lot of Asian inspired cooking frequently reuses the same ingredients, just in different ways, so they are a worthwhile investment as they won't be left gathering dust in the cupboard. Feel free to mix up the vegetables based on your own personal preference. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
For the Laksa paste:
1/2 chopped white onion
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp lemongrass paste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon white miso
40ml coconut milk
For the main dish:
4 nests of egg noodles
400ml coconut milk
500ml chicken stock
1 lime
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
100g of fine beans (or any preferred green veg) - chopped into small pieces.
1 small tin of sweetcorn, drained
600g chicken thighs OR any left over cooked chicken.
200g chesnut mushrooms (or whatever you prefer), chopped
80g beansprouts
Pinch of chilli flakes and fresh coriander to garnish
DIRECTIONS
If you're not using leftover chicken, pre heat the oven to 180 degrees fan. Season the chicken thighs and cook them for 25 - 30 minutes until cooked through then chop into small pieces and put aside.
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and dress with rapeseed or sesame oil to stop them bunching together.
Put all the Laksa Paste ingredients into a processor and blend to make a smooth paste.
Heat a dutch oven/large pan/wok over a medium high heat then add a tablespoon of rapeseed oil. Once hot, add the Laksa paste and cook out for a minute.
Stir in the coconut milk, soy sauce (light and dark), stock, sugar, and the juice of a lime. Simmer for fifteen minutes.
Add the cooked chicken and the chopped vegetables and cook for 5-6 minutes then season to taste.
Using the pan used to cook the noodles, add a drizzle of oil and fry up the beansprouts.
Divide the noodles into four bowls, then spoon over the laksa broth, meat and vegetables, and top with beansrouts, fresh coriander and chilli flakes. And enjoy!
It also works just as well as left overs, so if you're cooking for one or for two, it'll only get better as it gets a chance to sit. It'll keep in the fridge for 5 days. As ever if you give this one a try, do let me know, and don't forget to snap a picture and tag me on instagram or twitter. I love seeing people cooking these recipes, and making them their own. Happy Cooking!