Noodles Melaka Siamese Laksa Lemak

Adapted from Amy Meh, Kuali

Ingredients

Grind (A):

5 slices galangal
10 candlenuts
20 shallots
5 cloves garlic
40 dried chillies, soaked
5 fresh chillies, seeds removed
1/2 cup oil

Combine (B):

1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp belacan granules
2 stalks lemon grass, lightly smashed
4 pieces tamarind skin (asam gelugor)

(C):

3 tbsp preserved chopped radish (choi poh)
50g dried prawns, pounded
1 1/2 coconut, grated to get 12 cups coconut milk
5 kaffir lime leaves
1 kg mackerel (ikan kembong)
1 to 2 tsp salt
1 kg fresh thick rice noodles or laksa noodles

Seasoning:

2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tsp ikan bilis stock granules
1 tsp chicken stock granules
1 tbsp sugar or to taste
1 to 2 tbsp Nampla (fish sauce)

Garnishing:

1 cucumber, soft centre and seeds discarded, then skinned and shredded
250g beansprouts, tails removed, scalded
1/2 pineapple, sliced and cut into thin strips
2 big onions, finely sliced
3 wild ginger buds (bunga kantan), finely sliced
2 red chillies, seeds removed, sliced
6 sprigs mint leaves
7 small limes, halved

Method

Clean fish well and season with salt for 10 minutes. Steam, then flake the fish. Retain the juices from the fish and mix with the coconut milk.

Heat oil in a saucepan and fry ingredients (A) and (B) until fragrant and oil rises to the surface.

Add (C), lemon grass and tamarind skin. Pour in coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add flaked fish, seasoning and kaffir lime leaves.

[To serve: ]Put laksa noodles in serving bowls. Garnish with beansprouts, cucumber, pineapple and onions. Pour hot gravy with flaked fish over. Top up with a sprinkling of wild ginger buds, red chillies, mint leaves and a half slice of a small lime.