Laksa part two and a Bush Festival plug

Do you remember my first ever post? In which I discussed starting a blog and what I could write about it? One of the options was Shepherds Bush, the fascinating area of London in which I live, but I decided that a few of the blogs I follow already did a great job of covering activities in the area. One of the blogs I was talking about was Bird In The Bush (also linked in my blog list on the right of your screen, unless you’re on a mobile).

It can pay off to have useful up to date information on the area you live, especially when you live in London where the word 'local' can very quickly lose its meaning. Blogs such as Bird’s are a great way of finding out what’s going on. This was recently evidenced by a chain of events which, via me reading the Bird In the Bush blog, resulted in the lovely Claire (my ever suffering partner) and a friend running a crafts stall at the upcoming Bush Festival. A side effect of this is that my house (and the tube, and the bus and everywhere) has now become a full time knitting factory for the next few weeks as home crafts are crafted for the craft stall.

Bush festival is on Saturday August 13^th on Shepherds Bush Green, so get yourself down there! If you have any questions about Bush Festival have a look at their website or post a comment below and we will try and point you in the direction of an answer...

Now it may seem like I’m plugging my girlfriend’s stall and Bush Festival, but really this has just been an introduction allowing me to be smug and mention that my new shiny blog was featured in one of Birdie’s recent posts. I am very pleased about this. Anyway I will now proceed deactivating narcissism mode for today and getting on with the laksa recipe....

There are lots of different types of Laksas and I’m going to try and explain a few different ways you could prepare it over the coming weeks. The version I make most often involves chicken, prawns and beansprouts. By all means substitute out the chicken to make this pescetarian. I would suggest squid or cuttlefish would go well. You can also add extra veg to make it go further, pea aubergines can be a nice addition.

A much more fish orientated laksa recipe will follow- maybe even tomorrow!

Curry Laksa Ingredients

Oil, for frying (I use groundnut oil when I have it in)

400ml of Coconut Milk (from a can is most convenient)

300 ml good quality Chicken or Vegetable stock (If using bought stock I like knorr stock cubes or Marigold bouillon)

A small handful of curry leaves (I tear them up and add them to the stock)

300g noodles (Most noodles will work fine within reason, ie don’t try and use your pot noodles, that’s just silly)

300-400g chicken, chopped into bite size pieces (I recommend skinless thigh fillets)

200g fresh king prawns

150g Bean sprouts or trimmed green beans

3 tbsp Oyster sauce

3 tbsp Fish sauce

1 tbsp Palm Sugar

juice of 1 Lime

5 kaffir lime leaves (shredded by hand or knife)

Handful chopped coriander

small handful chopped mint (very much optional)

To garnish (all optional)

Chopped coriander leaves

Dried anchovies, shallow fried (buy in packs from oriental supermarkets)

Sambal

Crispy fried shallots (buy in little tubs from oriental supermarkets)

boiled egg (halved)

Method

Heat up your oil in a wok or large pan. Once the oil is hot add your laksa paste and stir fry it until it is giving off lovely aromas, this should take 4-5 minutes. Add your coconut milk and stock (with curry leaves in). Continue stirring and then add your chicken. Bring the liquid to the boil and then reduce the temperature until the broth is simmering. Leave it like this for 5 mins.

Meanwhile place your noodles in boiling water. They should cook in 4-5 mins. Move them into a container or into serving bowls.

Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice to the laksa in the wok. Stir thoroughly and taste. If it needs more salt add more fish sauce, if it needs more flavour add a bit more oyster sauce, if it needs sweetening add more sugar and if it needs to taste more sour add more lime juice.

Add the beansprouts followed by the lime leaves, chopped coriander and mint. Stir well. Let it cook for another 3 minutes.

If you are frying dried anchovies as a garnish do this now.

Add your prawns.  Stir thoroughly for another minute.

Serve over the top of noodles in a bowl. Garnish with fried shallots, fried anchovies, coriander and sambal.

I sometimes put the garnishes on little serving dishes and let guests do their own garnishing.

Traditionally this would be eaten with chopsticks and a soup spoon.