THE late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain once called Sarawak laksa “Breakfast of the Gods” and featured it in the CNN Original Series – “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” as well as “No Reservation”.
This famous dish of Sarawak which is available not just for breakfast, but at any time of the day, is a favourite not only with Sarawakians but more and more among laksa lovers in the Peninsular too.
Sarawak laksa is slightly subtler compared to the normal curry laksa. The gravy is made using laksa paste consisting of sambal belacan, tamarind, lemongrass, herbs and spices, with a little coconut milk. This results in an aromatic rich and creamy laksa with herbs and spices.
During this Movement Control Order (MCO), why not try making this exotic dish from the Land of The Hornbill courtesy of this recipe from the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB).
MAKE YOUR OWN SARAWAK LAKSA
What you need
1 packet rice vermicelli (pre-soak till soft)
For garnishing
- 300g bean sprouts (pre-soak for a while)
- 300g prawns (pre-soaked, shelled and deveined)
- 200g chicken breast meat
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten to make an omelette)
- Coriander Leaves (for garnish)
- Lime (for garnish, to add a sour flavor)
For laksa stock
300g Sarawak laksa paste (store-bought or home-made)
2.5 litres chicken broth or water
200gm coconut milk
Method
1. Prepare a pot of hot water, once it boils, put rice vermicelli noodles till cooked, drain well before serving.
2. Prepare the garnishing - shredded chicken breast meat, blanched prawns, blanched beansprouts and omelette strips.
3. Cook the prawns in boiling water until they turn pink, after that peel the prawn shells, reserving the heads and shells for cooking laksa stock.
4. Cook chicken breast in boiling water and then remove once cooked. Put aside the chicken broth for cooking laksa stock. Once chicken breast is cooled, shred the chicken meat and set aside.
5. Add laksa Sarawak paste into the pot of chicken broth. Then add in the prawn shells and heads. Allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. Sieve out the laksa spices and prawn shells. Let the stock boil again. Add coconut milk, stir well and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season the stock with a bit of salt and sugar (the laksa broth is now done).
MAKE YOUR OWN LAKSA PASTE
What you need
20 Shallots (chopped)
10 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 Galangal (chopped)
2 pieces of ginger
20 long Red chilies (cut into chunks)
10 Lemongrass (white part only, chopped)
1 cup Dried chilies (soak in hot water for 20 minutes)
100g of candlenuts
100g of cumin seeds, dry toasted and ground in spice grinder
300g of coriander seeds, dry toasted and ground in spice grinder
12 star anise, dry toasted and ground in spice grinder
A little bit of nutmeg
20 cardamoms, seeds removed from the pods
Salt
Sugar
Tamarind juice
Method
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Add four cups of oil to a wok or large pot, cook spice paste on medium heat, stirring constantly.
3: When oil starts to separate, add in tamarind water, salt and sugar and continue to cook for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Let the paste become thick and mix well.
Source: https://www.huangkitchen.com/traditional-sarawak-laksa/