Name: Coconut Noodle Soup with Chicken (Laksa Ayam)
Yield: Makes 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: Kecap manis for serving; 1½ lb (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ground coriander; Fried shallots for serving; 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise; 2 cups (180 g) bean sprouts or shredded green cabbage; Sambal Soto for serving; ½ cup (15 g) lemon basil leaves, Thai basil leaves, or mint leaves; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt; 1 can (13.5 fl oz/400 ml) unsweetened coconut milk; 2 (½-inch/12-mm) slices galangal or fresh ginger; ½ lb (225 g) dried rice vermicelli, prepared according to package directions; ½ lb (225 g) large (26/35) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional); ½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper; 2 teaspoons ground turmeric; 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided; 3 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked in water and patted dry; 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised; 2 salam leaves or makrut lime leaves; 3 candlenuts or unsalted macadamias; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 6 Asian shallots or 3 European shallots, chopped

Preparation info

Makes
4–6
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Mortar and Pestle

By Patricia Tanumihardja

Published 2024

About

You may have tried laksa, but it was probably curry laksa, the spicy coconut noodle soup popular in Singapore and Malaysia. In fact, there are many forms of laksa from all over the Nusantara region: assam laksa (which is sour and spicy), laksa Tangerang (with a broth of chilies and grated coconut), and this version from Jakarta, where Julia spent her formative years. The list of ingredients may look intimidating, but laksa ayam is quite simple to prepare. Once you’ve gather