Actress Selena Tan shares her mum's laksa steamboat recipe, which has been a staple in her family's reunion dinner for the past 30 years.
Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Ingredients
- Shells from 20 prawns
- 1.5 litres water
- 160 ml vegetable oil
- 500 g store-bought laksa rempah (spice paste)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, remove white portions and crush
- 400 ml evaporated milk
- 5 tbsps light soya sauce
- 10 pieces tau pok (fried beancurd)
- 100 g finely chopped laksa leaves
- Sambal, to garnish
Steps
01. In a big pot set over high heat, add shells from 20 prawns into 1.5 litres of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for about 30 mins. It should be reduced to about 1.2 litres. Drain and set aside. Discard the prawn shells.
02. In a wok set over high heat, add 100 ml vegetable oil and laksa rempah and fry for a minute. Turn down heat to medium and continuously stir the mixture for about 45 mins. Set aside.
03. In a pot set over high heat, add 60 ml vegetable oil and rempah. Use a spatula to flatten the rempah around the pot. Once the rempah sizzles, turn heat down to medium, add crushed lemongrass stalks and mix well with rempah for 2 to 3 mins.
04. Pour prawn stock prepared earlier into the pot. Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Stir the mixture occasionally.
05. Pour in evaporated milk gradually while stirring the mixture in the pot.
06. Stir 5 tbsps of light soya sauce into the mixture.
07. Add tau pok into the pot and cook for 5 to 10 mins.
08. Use the laksa stock as a steamboat base. Add ingredients of your choice, such as yong tau foo, prawns and cockles.
Photo: Nivash Joyvin/ST