Assam Laksa (Malaysian fish soup noodle)

This is a bog post on making Assam laksa (Malaysian fish soup noodle) at home. Assam laksa which means soup noodles is a fish soup noodle that has got strong flavors. In order to make these strong flavors and to balance them a few key ingredients will make the difference. It’s a dish either you will like it or hate it. It’s sour, the taste is balanced out with a mixture of raw onions and sweetness from shrimp paste.

The main key ingredients are laksa leaves, Vietnamese coriander or Daun kesum, and shrimp rojak paste (hei kou). Also, Bunga Kantan (red torch ginger lily flower) which I have not seen here in the UK. Before the pandemic, it was possible to get these ingredients in London Chinatown but not so much since. Fear not as for the Vietnamese Coriander one can plant the temperate climate variety which tastes the same. The shrimp rojak paste is a tricky one is for one to make at home. I found it in one of my many Asian recipe books. Here is a link to make rojak sauce from scratch.

I have added Tom yum paste something not quite a classic Malaysian would do but has a similar spice and goes well with fish. By adding it will add more in depth taste to the broth. I don’t believe at all in adding MSG to my cooking and will always try to find other ingredients that add more flavour to the dish.

Using different types of fish

For the types of fish use in Laksa there is a few options. Living in the UK makes it hard to find ikan tengiri (mackerel smaller version in Malaysia) so I tend to use pink salmon or sea bass that is easily found in supermarkets. It is possible to use cold water mackerel as well but it is only available in Asian grocers.

Assam Laksa (Malaysian fish soup noodle)

INGREDIENTS  

laksa broth

• 200 grams of sea bass (optional if using tinned salmon)
• 2 tins pink salmon (about 180 grams each tin)
• 100 grams laksa leaves (Vietnamese coriander)
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp tom yum paste
• 3 cm galangal blended into a paste
• 2 cm turmeric fresh or powder
• bunga kantan (torch ginger) stalks if using

Sambal belacan

• 3 red chilies
• 2 dried red chilies
• 2 cm belacan (shrimp paste)
• 30 grams dried shrimp

Laksa noodle base

• 200 grams flat rice noodle
• 1 medium cucumber thinly sliced strips
• One medium brown onion
• 1 medium fresh pineapple peeled thinly sliced
• 50 grams of mint leaves
• 1 Bunga kantan (torch ginger) sliced finely
• 2 lime cut into half
• 2 tbsp rojak sauce or hei kou

INSTRUCTIONS 

Making soup broth

• In a big pot, put the laksa leaves to boil. Add the tamarind paste, galangal, and tom yum paste. Bring to a simmer till smells fragrant. Add the belacan to taste. Add the fish. simmer till the fish is cook. The soup should resemble a red curry broth.

Prepare the noodle ingredients

• In a bowl add boiling water to rice noodles to soften it to edible texture. If it is still hard pour away the water and add some more boiling water or cook in the microwave. Peel and slice thinly the rest of the ingredients. Except for the rojak paste and lime. Arrange the noodle ingredients in a bowl. Pour the cooked soup over it. Serve and eat while it’s warm.