Lovely laksa! Served throughout Malaysia this curried noodle soup is a winner in hot or cold weather.

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g dried thin egg noodles
100g rice vermicelli

Paste

1-2 red chilli, de-seeded & chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 x thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4-5 shallots
½ tsp salt
1 Tb coriander seeds
2 tsp turmeric
½ tsp shrimp oil or paste(optional)
2 Tb cooking oi
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 stalk lemongrass, smashed

2 chicken breast, skinned and boned, chopped into cubes
400ml coconut milk
Salt to taste
12 prawns, shelled
Juice one lime
Garnishes – mint leaves, beansprouts, coriander

Directions

Boil egg noodles in salted water until tender, drain and set aside. Cook vermicelli by soaking in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a food processor or mortar and pestle, grind paste ingredients to smooth paste.

Make shrimp oil by nipping tails off prawns and frying in 2-3 tablespoons of oil until golden. Remove shells and add the shrimp-flavoured oil to the paste.

Heat oil in large pot and fry paste until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add stock, lemongrass, chicken, and coconut milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add prawns and simmer until they, and the chicken, are cooked though. Taste and add salt if required. Add juice of lime.

Divide noodles and vermicelli evenly into 4 bowls. Spoon chicken and prawns into each, then pour hot laksa broth over and garnish.