Supplies

Paste

  • 2 red chilli, plus more to serve
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Broth

  • 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 500 millilitres boiling water
  • 1 400ml can coconut milk
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 200g cauliflower, cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 limes: 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 150g finely sliced fresh greens
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 pack rice vermicelli
  • 25g coriander, stalks trimmed
  • 40g bean sprouts, rinsed

Steps

Paste

  1. Put all of the laksa paste ingredients into a small food processor or spice grinder and blitz until you have a fine paste.
  2. Cook off the paste in a large saucepan for 10 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t burn, until the oil starts to separate.
  3. Pour in the chicken stock and coconut milk, then add the sliced carrots, and cauliflower.
  4. Cook for 30 minutes until the vegetables soften.
  5. While the broth is cooking, heat a griddle pan.
  6. Flatten the chicken breasts and season with salt and fresh black pepper.
  7. Cook for 4 minutes each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Put onto a place to cool then roughly rip into shreds.
  8. Sautee the greens in the soy and garlic until they wilt.
  9. Put the noodles into a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse under cool water. Divide the cooked and drained noodles between 4 serving bowls.
  10. When the vegetables in the broth are very soft, liquidise it with a stick blender. Stir fish sauce, sugar and lime juice through the soup and add extra water, if needed, so that it’s not too thick.
  11. Divide the soup between the bowls. Top each dish with bean sprouts, chicken, sauteed greens and fresh coriander. Serve with a lime wedge and extra chilli on the side.