Curry Laksa (Laksa Lemak)

Blend the chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts and belacan into a smooth paste. Add a splash of water if the blender stalls.

Peel the prawns and fry the shells in 3 tbsp oil for 2 minutes until they turn coral and smell sweet. Fish the shells out and throw them away, keeping the flavoured oil in the pan.

💡 Two minutes of shells is the cheapest depth in the whole recipe. Do not skip it because it looks fussy.

Fry the spice paste in that oil over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and oil separates out around the edges. Stir in the curry powder and fry one more minute.

💡 Same rule as the nasi lemak sambal: the paste is not cooked until the oil breaks out of it. Undercooked paste leaves the broth tasting dusty.

Pour in the stock and bring it to a simmer. Add the chicken and cook 12 minutes, then lift it out, shred it and set it aside.

Add the coconut milk and tofu puffs. Keep the pot at a bare tremble for 10 minutes — never a rolling boil. Slip the prawns in for the last 2 minutes. Season with salt and a little sugar.

💡 Boiling splits coconut milk into oil and grain. Once it separates the broth is grainy for good — there is no whisking it back together.

Cook the noodles separately, drain, and divide between bowls. Ladle over the broth with the chicken, prawns and tofu, then top with bean sprouts, long beans, mint and a wedge of lime.