Vegan Laksa - Malaysian Curry Laksa Soup Recipe. Homemade Laksa paste with Fresh Turmerci Root. Warming, spicy, flavorful soup for fall and winter. Curry Laksa Recipe. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: Gluten-free, Malaysian, Vegan

Ingredients

Laksa Paste:

  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fennel or cumin seeds
  • 1 inch fresh turmeric root (peeled if needed(or use 1 tsp or more ground turmeric))
  • 1 inch fresh ginger root (peeled if needed)
  • 1 green chile
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne (or use paprika + cayenne)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp raw cashews (soaked for 15 mins, use almonds or pepitas for cashew-free)
  • a good handful of cilantro with tender stems
  • 1 tsp lime juice

Laksa Curry Soup:

  • 1 tsp oil
  • Laksa curry paste from above
  • 2 cups sliced white mushrooms
  • 3/4 cup sliced carrots
  • 1/2 to 1 cup other veggies of choice (sliced or chopped small, such as bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli etc)
  • 3 cups veggie broth or water
  • 13.5 oz can coconut milk (about 1.5 cups)
  • 6 to 8 oz brown rice noodles (uncooked)
  • 1 cup of chopped spinach (or chard)
  • salt and cayenne to taste
  • sugar or sweetener if needed
  • cilantro (mint for garnish)

Method

Make the paste:

  1. Toast the coriander and fennel seeds for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add to a blender or spice grinder and grind to a coarse mixture.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until pasty. Add a tbsp or so water if needed. The paste can be refrigerated for upto a week and frozen for longer..

Make the soup:

  1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the curry paste (1/3 to 1/2 cup) and fry for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally. If using premade paste, use a 1/3 cup.
  2. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the veggies, broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Add in the rice noodles and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Fold in the spinach and chard. Taste and adjust salt and heat. I usually add a bit of salt or soy sauce, lime juice and some sugar at this point. Add more coconut milk if needed. Simmer for another few minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro, mint, bean sprouts or crisped tofu and serve.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.