Sarawak Laksa Noodle Soup (Laksa Sarawak)
Laksa Sarawak Say it: LAHK-sah sah-RAH-wah
Sarawak laksa is a noodle soup from the Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo, often eaten for breakfast and throughout the day. Rice vermicelli sits in a fragrant broth built from a spice paste of dried chilies, shallots, belacan and dried prawns, warmed with coriander, cumin and cinnamon, then enriched with coconut milk and brightened with tamarind. Shredded chicken, prawns, egg and bean sprouts finish each bowl. The result is rich, tangy and gently spicy, quite different from the coconut curry laksas of Peninsular Malaysia.
Sarawak Laksa Noodle Soup (Laksa Sarawak)
Laksa Sarawak
Pronounced LAHK-sah sah-RAH-wah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Level
- Medium
Allergens: contains shellfish, egg, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Spice paste
Broth and toppings
Method
Soak the dried chilies and dried prawns separately in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, toast the coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom, cloves, star anise and cinnamon in a dry pan over medium heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant, then grind to a fine powder.
Blend the soaked chilies, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, candlenuts, belacan, dried prawns, ground toasted spices, turmeric and oil into a smooth paste, adding a splash of water if needed.
Fry the paste in a large pot over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates, the paste darkens and it smells deeply fragrant.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken thighs and poach for 15 to 18 minutes, until cooked through and no longer pink at the centre. Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks and set aside.
Stir the coconut milk, tamarind water, salt and sugar into the broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt or tamarind; keep the heat low so the coconut milk does not boil hard.
Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package directions, then drain and divide among four deep bowls. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain. Hard-boil the eggs for 8 minutes, cool, peel and halve them.
Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer, add the prawns and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they turn pink and curl into a loose C shape.
Top the noodles with shredded chicken, prawns, bean sprouts and egg halves. Ladle the hot broth over the top, then garnish with coriander, fried shallots and sliced chili. Serve with lime wedges and sambal belacan.
Regional variants
In Sarawak, bowls are often finished with a spoonful of sambal belacan and a squeeze of lime; some cooks top the laksa with thin strips of omelette instead of hard-boiled egg.
Cook's notes
- Toast the belacan in a dry pan until it smells nutty before blending; this tames its pungency.
- Fry the spice paste patiently until the oil splits and the paste darkens, as this builds the backbone of the broth.
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer after adding the coconut milk so it stays smooth and does not split.
Serve with
Serve hot with lime wedges and extra sambal belacan; finish with strong tea or kopi.
Make ahead and storage
The spice paste can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and the broth can be made 2 days ahead. Reheat gently and poach the prawns just before serving.
