Katong Laksa

Ingredients

• 700 ml water
• 400 g thick rice vermicelli noodles
• 250 g fresh unpeeled prawns
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 200 g fried tofu puffs (tau pok)
• 200 g fried fish cake
• 100 g bean sprouts
• 100 g laksa curry paste (fresh or instant)
• 50 ml vegetable oil
• 1 handful laksa leaves (Vietnamese coriander), finely chopped
• As needed belacan sambal
• 4 eggs

Steps

1. Peel and devein the prawns, keeping the head and shells aside. I kept the tails intact.
2. In a pot, add vegetable oil and stir fry the shells over medium heat until orange and dry, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
4. Strain the prawn broth.
5. In a separate frying pan, fry the curry paste in vegetable oil until the colour darkens, about 5-10 minutes. Add it to the prawn broth.
6. Bring the broth up to a boil again. In a separate bowl, soak the rice vermicelli in cold water for 15 minutes.
7. In the meantime, slice the fish cakes thinly and half the tau pok. Blanch the bean sprouts in a separate pot for 1 minute and shock in cold water.
8. Add the coconut milk, tau pok and fish cakes to the broth, and simmer for 5-10 mins
9. Boil the vermicelli noodles for 5 minutes, and the eggs for 7 minutes. Rinse both under cold water.
10. Add the prawns to the simmering broth and take them out as soon as they change colour.
11. Cut the vermicelli noodles into bite-sized pieces and serve on a plate, along with the bean sprouts.
12. Ladle the broth over, and top with the boiled egg, prawns, tau pok, and fish cakes. Garnish with chopped laksa leaves and optionally some extra sambal. Enjoy!