Laksa Broth
A Peranakan broth that walks the edge between fire and velvet — the spice paste blooms in oil until the kitchen smells like a hawker stall, then coconut milk pulls everything into a silk-rich, furiously fragrant sea.
Ingredients
For 4 servings · tick what is ready
Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.
How to make it
Combine soaked dried chilies (drained), lemongrass (inner stalk only), galangal, turmeric, shallots, and soaked dried shrimp in a blender or food processor. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and blitz until a smooth, cohesive paste forms. You may need to scrape down the sides 3-4 times. A fine paste catches fire better in oil and distributes evenly through the broth.
Heat oil in a heavy pot or wok over medium heat. Add the rempah paste all at once — it will splatter, so stand back and cover partially. Fry, stirring constantly, for 12-18 minutes. The paste must cook until the oil separates from the solids and rises to the surface (pecah minyak — 'oil breaks'). This is non-negotiable: an undercooked rempah tastes raw and harsh.
Pour stock into the fried rempah and stir to combine. Add tamarind water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, skimming any foam. The broth will darken and deepen as the rempah fully integrates with the stock.
Reduce heat to low. Pour in coconut milk slowly while stirring constantly — never allow the broth to boil after adding coconut milk or it will split. Stir in fish sauce. Taste and adjust: add more fish sauce for salt, tamarind for sour, or a pinch of sugar to round. Hold at a very gentle simmer (surface should barely tremble) for 10 minutes.
About this recipe
By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.