Un-Chicken Laksa Recipe from food republic

 

chickenlaksaA tart, spicy Southeast Asian chicken noodle soup

Leave it to West Coast guide to the good life, Sunset Magazine, to throw together a chicken laksa soup recipe so good we’d eat it in Southern California all summer.

The spicy Malaysian laksa soup may have a long list of ingredients, but it’s super easy. Malaysian kitchens (in Southeast Asia, in Southern California, and elsewhere) weave Chinese, Indian and Malay culinary strands into a complex cuisine.

2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
4 cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
5 to 8 dried arbol chiles, stemmed
2 lemongrass stalks
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb. seitan, cubed
1 teaspoon shrimp paste*
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
1 quart veggie broth
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick
8 ounces mung beans, rinsed
8 ounces wide rice noodles
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into smaller pieces
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn
lime wedges
Sambal oelek chili paste

For the sambal oelek chili paste:

  1. Grind coriander, peppercorns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, turmeric and chiles coarsely in a spice grinder; set aside. Peel tough outer layers from lemongrass, then mash core with a meat mallet or small, heavy frying pan.

For the laksa:

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add seitan, shrimp paste, shallots, and reserved ground spices and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in coconut milk, broth, sugar, and salt; add cinnamon stick and lemongrass. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
  3. Boil bean sprouts in a large pot of boiling water until softened, 2 minutes. Transfer sprouts to a bowl. Add noodles to pot and cook until firm, 4 minutes. Drain; rinse well.
  4. Divide sprouts and noodles among bowls. Ladle in soup (remove cinnamon and lemongrass) and top with mint and cilantro. Serve with limes and sambal. Servings: 5

*Find shrimp paste in the Asian-foods aisle of a well-stocked grocery store or at an Asian market.