Diana Chan's Penang assam laksa

Name: Diana Chan Penang assam laksa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 10 dried red chillies, seeds removed; 150g tamarind pulp (in block form, not puree – from Asian food shops); 500g piece mackerel, cleaned; 1/2 bunch Vietnamese mint, plus extra leaves to serve; 1/4 cup (60ml) sunflower oil; 2 tbs coarsely grated palm sugar; 1 tsp fish sauce; 200g dried rice noodles, cooked according to packet instructions; Sliced red onion, small chillies and pineapple, quartered baby cucumbers (cukes) and mint leaves, to serve; 10g peeled galangal, chopped; 5 long red chillies, chopped; 8 Asian (red) eschalots, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 20g belacan (roasted shrimp paste); 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, chopped

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15m

35m

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by Diana Chan

May 10, 2018

Feeling the cold? MasterChef winner Diana Chan has the perfect pick-me-up with her laksa that will transport you to the tropical heat of Penang.

10 dried red chillies, seeds removed
150g tamarind pulp (in block form, not puree – from Asian food shops)
500g piece mackerel, cleaned
1/2 bunch Vietnamese mint, plus extra leaves to serve
1/4 cup (60ml) sunflower oil
2 tbs coarsely grated palm sugar
1 tsp fish sauce
200g dried rice noodles, cooked according to packet instructions
Sliced red onion, small chillies and pineapple, quartered baby cucumbers (cukes) and mint leaves, to serve

Spice paste

10g peeled galangal, chopped
5 long red chillies, chopped
8 Asian (red) eschalots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
20g belacan (roasted shrimp paste)
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, chopped

Method

1.

Soak dried chillies in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2.

Soak tamarind pulp in a heatproof bowl with 2 cups (500ml) boiling water for 20 minutes to soften. Strain, reserving liquid and discarding seeds.
3.

Bring 8 cups (2L) water to the boil in a saucepan. Add mackerel and boil for 14 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer fish to a bowl and set aside to cool. Strain fish stock into a clean saucepan, stir through Vietnamese mint, cover and set aside until needed.
4.

Coarsely shred mackerel and set aside.
5.

For the spice paste, place drained soaked chillies and all paste ingredients in a food processor and whiz to a paste.
6.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes or until darkened slightly. Return stock to boil, add paste, tamarind liquid, sugar and fish sauce, and simmer.
7.

Divide noodles and laksa among serving bowls. Top with mackerel, onion, chilli, pineapple, baby cucumber, mint and extra Vietnamese mint.