Hey guys! I’m in Tokyo, lying in a capsule hotel as I write this! Super ready for The Best Sleep Ever after a huge day of travel, but I’ve got to prepare an upload too ✌ Presenting my vegan laksa, which is kind of a culmination of bits from lots of different laksa recipes I found, but then veganised and tweaked until it was how I like it.
This tastes so so good, like seriously rivals all the best laksa I’ve ever had, but the ingredient list is immense!! Get ready for a huge shopping trip if you want to make this. I recommend making a double or triple batch and freezing the paste so you only have to go through the trouble of preparing the ingredients once.
Stats – $15-$35 depending on how stocked your spice drawer is, serves 4, takes about an hour total, contains varied levels of protein, iron and calcium depending on toppings used (leafy greens and tofu = ✔)
Ingredients:
Paste – makes 1.5 cups
The white parts of 3 lemongrass stalks, chopped roughly
3 eschalots (French shallots), chopped roughly
8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
3cm piece of galangal, chopped roughly (use a couple of pieces of dried if you can’t find fresh)
8 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped
6-10 dried red chillies (*deeeeeep breath in preparation of eternal judgement*………optional)
1.5 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp ground cumin or cumin seeds
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground coriander or coriander seeds
15 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
5 tbsp peanut oil
Broth
3 litres vegetable stock
650ml coconut cream
1/2 cup fishless fish sauce, or more to taste (recipe 14 March – wow, time flies)
Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste
1 tbsp sugar, or more to taste
Salt, to taste
Noodles
100g dried rice vermicelli noodles
Toppings (honestly, suggestions… put whatever cooked veg you like in)
200g green beans, ends trimmed
Large bunch bok choy, washed and chopped roughly into large chunks
200g kent pumpkin, skinned and sliced into thin 4cm squares
12-16 tofu puffs (find in the freezer at your local Asian grocer)
Bean sprouts, fresh coriander, fresh chilli, chopped roasted peanuts and fresh lime, to serve
Method
Combine all paste ingredients and blitz very well in a blender or food processor, or by hand with a mortar and pestle, until very smooth.
Drizzle a little oil in a large saucepan. In batches, fry any vegetables/tofu puffs you’re using until nicely cooked, hot and caramelised and then set aside (steam if using beans etc – just do this in the microwave). Place paste in saucepan and fry over medium-high heat until very fragrant. Add stock, turn heat to medium, put the lid on and simmer for 20 mins.
Stir through coconut cream, fish sauce, and lime juice and continue to simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, cook rice noodles in hot water for 5 minutes or until tender. Evenly portion out into 4 bowls.
Spoon broth over noodles and top with vegetables. Add extra toppings and serve immediately.
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Vegan on Mondays. 