Sarawak laksa is a unique Sarawakian breakfast dish of rice vermicelli in a fragrant soup, topped with juicy prawns, tender chicken slices, bean sprouts and omelette. Clams and dried tofu are additional condiments. It is served with a squeeze of lime and a generous dollop of fiery sambal belacan on the side.
Sarawak laksa is a dish most craved by Sarawakians who are abroad and those who have had a taste of the uniqueness of Sarawak laksa will always be back for more. Sarawak Laksa are the first foods that come into one's mind when mentioning Kuching.
Sarawak laksa is a dish most craved by Sarawakians who are abroad and those who have had a taste of the uniqueness of Sarawak laksa will always be back for more. Sarawak Laksa are the first foods that come into one's mind when mentioning Kuching.
Penang Laksa are wholly different from Sarawak Laksa in the cooking methods and ingredients. In Arizona, there is just one Malaysian restaurant in Tucson city 2 hours away. We were excited and craving for our local Malaysian-Sarawak cuisines and were disappointed when the Laksa were brought to our table. The look of it tells us it is definitely not Sarawak Laksa. We now know the restaurant serve West Malaysian.
I brought 6 packets of Barrett's Sarawak Laksa paste from Kuching 2 years ago. The craving for our authentic Laksa noodles is worth the pain as these 6 packets are not only excessive baggage ( lots of water content ) but are also subject to custom restrictions.
Ingredients and Preparation for 10 servings
Using packaged Barrett's brand - Sarawak Laksa paste.
These are the ingredients for making raw Laksa paste.
3 long fat stalks of lemon grass,
mincing only their tender hearts and reserving the rest of the stalks for another use.
4 hot red chilies,
discarding the stem and as many seeds as you wish to reduce the fire of the paste.
4 slices of galangal
(substitute ginger if you can't find this fresh).
thumb-size lump of ginger
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
3 large cloves garlic
4 Tablespoons peanut oil
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup tamarind paste
Put the minced lemon grass hearts, chilies, galangal/ginger, shrimp paste, shallots, garlic, and oil in a blender and liquify it into a speckled mush. Add the cilantro, turmeric, sugar, and tamarind paste and blend at the highest speed until it is a colorful but uniform paste. Scoop into a glass jar (it will stain plastic) and refrigerate until you're ready to use.
Ingredients for extra flavour to stock (any brands can do) for later use:
shrimp paste, pepper, salt, chicken stock brand, oyster sauce, belachan-shrimp paste.
Boil 500 gm of shrimp shells and 4 pcs of chicken drumstick and 2 piece of chicken breast in 2-3 litres of water. This is to enhance flavours to the stock. When stock is boiling, remove the chicken breast for later use - as toppings. Add one packet Laksa paste (600gm) into stock. Cook on medium heat for one hour. Strain the filtrate and shrimp shells - discard solids. Keep the drumstick meat in the filtered Laksa stock.
Boil 500 gm of shrimp shells and 4 pcs of chicken drumstick and 2 piece of chicken breast in 2-3 litres of water. This is to enhance flavours to the stock. When stock is boiling, remove the chicken breast for later use - as toppings. Add one packet Laksa paste (600gm) into stock. Cook on medium heat for one hour. Strain the filtrate and shrimp shells - discard solids. Keep the drumstick meat in the filtered Laksa stock.
Boil Beehoon (vermicilli) noodles in hot water and sieve.For toppings. Boil shelless shrimps and clam meats in hot water, sieve and keep dry. Tear chicken breast meat into thin slices. Perpare dry tofu by slicing into small pieces. Fry omelette and slice into thin pieces. Prepare bean sprouts, lemons slices, cilantro or parsley.
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