Recipe Ingredient
- 1kg mackerel
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 grated coconut with enough water added and squeezed for 1.5 litres coconut milk
- 1.5kg dried laksa noodles, boiled until just right to the texture or al dente (or use fresh thick rice noodles, scalded in boiling water and well drained)
- Ground ingredients (A)
- 20g (22 pieces) dried chillies, soaked
- 175g shallots
- 2cm galangal
- 1cm fresh turmeric root
- 20g ground black pepper
- 3 stalks lemon grass, use the white part only
- 1cm knob ginger
- Ingredients (B)
- 3–4 pieces dried tamarind skin, if not available substitute with 30g lime juice
- 8 stalks polygonum leaves (daun kesum)
- Seasoning
- 1–2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp sugar or to taste
- 1 tsp monosodium glutamate
- Garnish
- 1 cucumber, halved and soft centres discarded and shredded
- 200g bean sprouts, tailed and scalded briefly
- 1 wild ginger bud (bunga kantan), sliced finely
- Some mint leaves
- Some basil leaves
- 5 small limes, halved
Instructions
- Season fish with salt. Boil 1 litre water in a pot and drop in the fish. Remove the fish when eyes pop out. Flake the fish and leave aside.
- Strain the fish stock clean from bones and add ground ingredients (A). Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. Add ingredients (B) and pour in the coconut milk. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- To serve, put some thick rice noodles in individual serving dishes and garnish with a little of each garnishing ingredient, then pour the hot fish stock or gravy over.
