Laksa

Don't laugh at me- I ate my first macaron today! I've read a lot about it on various food blogs but never got to try it until I stumbled upon it at Royal Plaza on Scotts's Gourmet Carousel and Bakerzin. I'm smitten by it's numerous exotic flavors and names. Somehow these macarons exude a kind of posh air around it's delicate taste. Yum-o :P

I went to Jialei center for their special high tea session + laksa class. There are many different variations of laksa. Basically, it is :: LAKSA= rice noodles bathed in rich spicy coconut milk, an authentic Nonya dish. Penang laksa is a bit sour and is different from the local laksa in terms of taste and spiciness.
This recipe is more Nonya based and since I'm a peso-vegetarian, I have omitted dried shrimp in the soup base. The teacher said that mushroom can be substituted but the taste will not be as authentic.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp curry powder
few sprigs laksa leaves (daun kesum)
1.5 L water/ stock
2 deep fried bean curd (tau pok), cut into squares
300 ml thick coconut milk (not cream)
600g thick rice vermicelli (bee hoon, blanched)
100g bean sprouts, blanched
1 fish cake, sliced
few sprigs laksa leaves, finely shredded

Spice paste( grind to a paste)
10-20 dried chili ( do not wash, wipe with a cloth, blend it finely before adding to the rest of the mixture)
50g dried mushroom, soaked
100g shallots
30g garlic
20g turmeric
30 g candlenuts (buah keras)
2 stalks lemon grass, tender white part only

Seasoning:

1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp chili paste

Method:
1. Heat wok and add 4 tablespoon of oil. Add spice paste and stir-fry till fragrant. Add curry powder and laksa leaves, give a few stirs then add water until water starts to boil. Discard laksa leaves. Add deep-fried bean curd and seasoning. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Pour in fresh coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove bean curd from soup. Set gravy aside.

To serve, pour a portion of blanched rice vermicelli in a serving bowl, top with small servings of bean sprouts, bean curd, fish cake. Spoon the laksa gravy over. Sprinkle some chopped laksa leaves and serve.