Vegan laksa..... it's been the most elusive of soul soothing dishes and finally I've nailed a recipe that reflects the laksa of my childfood! This is a meal incredibly close to my heart: whilst there are a million variations of this spicy coconut curry noodle soup throughout SouthEast Asia they all can be traced to their Peranakan roots. Peranakan culture was created when Chinese sailors travelled to the spice trading ports in Malaysia and Indonesia, and this is also how my ancestors ended up settling in Malaysia via Singapore. History lesson aside, despite all the variations on a theme this dish almost always involves shrimp paste and chicken stock. I have searched high and low for a vegan version out there, or even a vegan recipe that triggers my (non vegan) childhood memories but you know..... food that is incredibly nostalgic will always hold the highest expectations. I have tweaked this recipe for years. And here we are.
Please. Enjoy. May this recipe bring you the warmest of internal hugs and the best kind of fire to your heart and belly. Time: 1 hour cooking time, approx 10 mins prep (depends on your knife skills and efficiency, ammirite?) Feeds 2 people. Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 30g ginger, peeled and sliced (Life hack! peel with a teaspoon. trust me) 1Tb coriander seeds 1tsp turmeric 1T chopped lemongrass (hit your asian grocer for prechopped frozen lemongrass) 3 dried red chillies 1tsp tomato paste 1tsp tamarind paste 60g coconut oil 1/2 bunch fresh coriander 20 curry leaves 2C vegetable stock 200ml coconut milk 100g cooked noodles: rice noodles, wheat noodles, your laksa, your call. Traditionally it's both rice vermicelli and egg noodles. I know! Double noodle! Yet another reason laksa is the freakin best) 1/4 pumpkin 1/4 white cabbage 2 C chopped vegetables: broccolli, green beans, zucchini, mushrooms. 1C bean sprouts A handful of thai basil 1tsp rice vinegar 2Tb fried onion 1/2 lemon salt and pepper Method:
It may seem like there's a whole lot going on here...... because there is. You can always skip the roasted pumpkin/cabbage stage, it's def not traditional, but it adds an awesome smoky and sweet vibe. Feel free to grab some fried tofu puffs, readily available from asian grocers, for the texture and soup sponge explosions they provide. At the end of the day, this is about you and what you like to eat. The paste and the stock i wouldn't mess with too much, but the rest is completely flexible.
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