← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 700 g whole mackerel (ikan kembung), gutted and cleaned
• 2 l Water
• 60 g tamarind pulp, mixed with 250 ml warm water and strained
• 3 slices Dried tamarind slices (asam keping / asam gelugur) (optional)
• 1 Lemongrass, bruised
• 1 bunch daun kesum (laksa leaves)
• 1 Torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), halved lengthways
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 15 Dried chillies, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, drained
• 2 Red chilli
• 10 Shallot, peeled
• 3 cm piece Galangal
• 1 Lemongrass, white part only, sliced
• 1 tbsp belacan (shrimp paste), toasted
• 750 g Thick rice noodles (laksa noodles / lai fun)
• 1 Cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 1 Red onion, thinly sliced
• 200 g Pineapple, cut into thin strips
• 4 lettuce leaves, shredded
• 1 handful Mint
• 1 Red chilli, sliced
• 4 tbsp Black prawn paste (hae ko / petis udang), thinned with 2 tbsp hot water

Method

1. Put the mackerel in a large pot with the water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 min until the flesh flakes. Lift the fish out and, once cool enough, pick the flesh off in chunks. Return the heads and bones to the pot, simmer for 15 min more, then strain the stock and discard the bones.
2. While the stock simmers, blend the paste ingredients with a splash of water until smooth.
3. Stir the paste, strained tamarind water, asam keping (if using), bruised lemongrass, laksa leaves and one half of the torch ginger flower into the stock. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 30 min until it is rich, aromatic and slightly reduced.
4. Add the flaked fish, sugar and salt and simmer for 5 min. Taste: it should be boldly sour and spicy with a little sweetness, so adjust with more tamarind, sugar or salt.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the noodles as the packet says, then dip them in boiling water to heat through and drain. Finely shred the other half of the torch ginger flower.
6. Divide the noodles between deep bowls and ladle over plenty of hot broth and fish. Top with cucumber, onion, pineapple, lettuce, mint, chilli and shredded torch ginger, then drizzle with the prawn paste.

Tips

• No fresh mackerel? Tinned sardines or mackerel in brine, drained and flaked, make a quick weeknight version. Either way, check the flesh for small bones.
• Hae ko and belacan are both shrimp products, and some hae ko contains wheat, so check labels for allergies.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

What To Cook Today Singaporean Malaysian Recipes