September Recipe: Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup

This deeply savory Malaysian curry noodle soup is a vegan version of the popular curry laksa and it does not disappoint! Made with a homemade laksa paste and a fusion of Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Indian flavors, you’ll fall in love with this recipe!

Prep Time: 40minutes MINS

Cook Time: 35minutes MINS

Total Time: 1hour HR 15minutes MINS

INGREDIENTS

Broth

• ▢ 3 sheets (about 12g) kombu (see Note 1)

• ▢ 3 tablespoons (50g) Chinese light soy sauce (see Note 2)

• ▢ 1 tablespoon wakame seaweed (optional)

• ▢ 1 lime

Laksa Paste

• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds

• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• ▢ 3 medium shallots roughly chopped

• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• ▢ 2- inch (5cm piece) galangal, very thinly sliced (see Note 3)

• ▢ 1- inch (2.5cm) piece fresh turmeric, peeled + rough chop (or ¾ tsp ground turmeric)

• ▢ 1 to 4 fresh Thai chiles, stemmed (see Note 4)

• ▢ 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed and finely chopped (see Note 5)

• ▢ 2 tablespoons (25g) roasted cashews(or peanuts)

• ▢ 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce

• ▢ 1 small handful (5g) fresh cilantroleaves and tender stems

• ▢ 1 lime: 1 teaspoon zest + 2 teaspoons juice

• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice (or water)

Soup

• ▢ 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice

• ▢ 8 ounces (227g) oyster mushrooms, torn into strips (see Note 6)

• ▢ Sea salt (or kosher salt)

• ▢ 1 (13.5-ounce/400ml) can full-fat coconut milk

• ▢ 5 to 10 fresh curry leaves (or 10 to 15 dried curry leaves; optional) (see Note 7)

• ▢ 1 (8-ounce/227g) package fried tofu puffs or soy puffs

• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar, more as needed

• ▢ 6 to 8 oz (170 to 230g) dried ramen noodles OR 10 oz (285g) fresh noodles of choice

• ▢ 1 to 2 limes

Optional Toppings

• ▢ Fresh mint leaves, cilantro, and/or Thai basil leaves

• ▢ Thai chiles, thinly sliced (for spicy!)

• ▢ Bean sprouts

• ▢ Chinese chili oil / chili crisp

INSTRUCTIONS

• Make the broth. Cut a few slits in the kombu to release the flavor. In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 5 cups of water (1.2 L), the kombu, wakame (if using), and soy sauce to a simmer. Gently simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. The broth should taste like the sea.

  a. Fit a medium or large bowl underneath a colander and strain the broth, discarding the kombu and wakame.

• Optional – toast the whole spices. Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the coriander and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, until aromatic and a few shades darker. Remove from the heat to prevent burning.

• Make the laksa paste. In a food processor or small-capacity high-powered blender (a 32 ounce/1 L or smaller blender cup), add the coriander and cumin seeds, shallots, garlic, galangal (or ginger), turmeric, chile peppers, lemongrass, cashews or peanuts, soy sauce, cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Blend until a paste forms, stopping to scrape down the sides as you go.

  a. Add the oil (or water) gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a paste comes together (it won’t be completely smooth but try to get it as smooth as you can).

  b. Tip: Don’t stick your eyeballs directly over the blender or they’ll water!

• In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. After several minutes / once the pan is hot, add the Laksa Paste and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until it just starts to dry out, 5 to 8 minutes.

• Pour in the Broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and the leftover lemongrass stalks (if using; see Ingredient Notes). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer rapidly for 10 minutes.

• Use a slotted spoon to discard the whole lemongrass pieces, if used. Add the coconut milk, curry leaves, and tofu puffs. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasonings, adding a few dashes of soy sauce or salt as needed. Taste, adding the sugar to taste.

• While the soup simmers, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

• Assemble. Divide the noodles among four bowls. Ladle hot curry on top and add desired garnishes. Squeeze fresh lime juice on top. Add optional toppings.

NOTES

1. Kombu is a type of kelp and is sold at well-stocked grocery stores and Asian grocers. Wakame is another type of seaweed, though optional so feel free to omit or substitute with a couple dried shiitake mushrooms.

2. Don’t have Chinese soy sauce? Use 1/4 cup (68 g) standard supermarket soy sauce (or tamari) in the Broth. And use 1 ½ tablespoons of it in the laksa paste.

3. Galangal is sold at Southeast Asian & larger Asian grocers; use ginger if not available. It can have a hard exterior, so use a sharp knife and cut off any hard knobs. No need to peel it as long as you slice it very thinly.

4. Chile peppers. For spicy: Use 4 fresh chiles in the laksa paste and garnish with 1 to 2 thinly sliced peppers. If not available, use ½ to 2 serrano or jalapeños depending on spice preference. For mild heat, use ~ 3 dried red chile peppers in the laksa paste but soak them in hot water for 15 minutes first to rehydrate (makes it easier to blend). 

5. Lemongrass: First, chop off the top tough parts of the lemongrass and the bottom root, then peel the papery outer layers until you reach the tender inner core. If you have a rolling pin or mallet, smash down on it to open up the aroma; then finely chop it. With the tough unused stalks, you can smash down on them as well, then add them to the soup in step 5 (discard before using). 

6. Not a fan of mushrooms? Replace with snap peas, snow peas, or chopped baby bok choy and add in step 6 along with the tofu puffs.

7. Fresh curry leaves: Sold at Indian/South Asian grocers. Omit if not available.