Vegetable Laksa

Vegetable Laksa is a vegetarian variation of the popular South East Asian Laska . The curry made with freshly ground paste, spices , lemon grass, fresh herbs and coconut milk with a hint of garam masala is served on the bed of noodles, vegetables and tofu. It is a complete one meal dish, vegan, gluten free and can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.

Course brunch, curry, dinner, festivalfood, glutenfree, Main Dish, one meal dish, Soup, vegan, vegetables

Cuisine Global, malaysian, thai

Keyword coconutmilk, completemeal, curry, curryleaves, garlic, glutenfreee, lemongrass, maindish, malaysian, mushroom, no onion garlic, noodlesoup, onemealdish, redchili, ricenoodle, soup, tofu, vegan, vegetables

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings people

Calories 685kcal

Equipment

heavy bottom pot
heavy bottom pan
spatula
bowl
strainer
thong
laddle
grinder
spoon
knife
small pan

Ingredients

Laksa paste (1 cup)

1 tbsp coriander seeds dhania
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds jeera
1 tsp paprika or sweet chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
6 dry red chili or more if more spice level needed. I had used kashmiri red chili
1 onion chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch ginger chopped
1 lemon grass stalk chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
8 cashew nuts
1 tbsp peanut oil preferable, or any flavorless oil

Stir Fry Vegetables

1 carrot peeled and sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 green capsicum cut into cubes
1/2 red capsicum cut into cubes
10 mushrooms cut into quarters
1 tbsp peanut oil preferable, or any flavorless oil

Making curry and assembling laksa

250 g tofu I had used sweet chili flavor tofu
200 g thin rice noodles cooked
3 tbsp peanut oil preferable, or any flavorless oil
6 curry leaves
1 cup laksa paste
400 g coconut milk 1 can coconut milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp chili sauce
1/4 tsp garam masala or 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp kitchen king powder
6 cup water
salt to taste
8 mint leaves and few more for garnishing
8 kaffir lime leaves
few lemon grass leaves

Instructions

Laksa paste (1 cup)

Soak dry red chili in hot water for 20 minutes. Cover and keep aside.
In the meantime roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds in a pan on medium heat.
Once the coriander and cumin seeds are roasted and aromatic lower the heat and add paprika and turmeric powder. Mix well and remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool.
The red chilies are soft and soaked well.
In a mixture grinder, add the roasted spices.
Add the chopped ginger, garlic, lemon grass stalk ( i had used the home grown lemon grass stalk).
Add onions and strained red chili. Blend everything well.
Add peanut oil and soy sauce.
Add cashew nuts.
Blend well to a smooth paste. The laksa paste is ready.
Remove the laksa paste in the bowl and keep aside. (This paste can be made in big batches and refrigerated in an airtight container for a week or freezed for 3 months)

Stir Fry Vegetables

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan . Add green and red capsicum, carrots and saute for half minute. Add mushrooms and broccoli and saute till well coated with oil. Remove in a bowl and keep aside. (Do not over cook the veggies, just toss till well coated with oil).

Making curry and assembling laksa

Heat oil in an heavy bottom pot. Add curry leaves.
Add the prepared laksa paste. Saute on medium heat.
Add salt as per taste and saute.
After couple of minutes the paste will start cooking and leaving oil.
Cook well for 6-7 minutes on medium heat till all the raw flavors of paste is removed. Oil will start to separate. The paste should be sauteed well.
Add lemon grass leaves. (This is optional. I love the fragrance and taste of lemon grass leaves and hence I prefer adding them). Saute for another minute.
Add spices - garam masala and kitchen king masala or if you have curry powder add it and chopped coriander. Saute well.
Add the coconut milk. Mix well. If needed use a hand whisk to break the lumps.
Add 5 cups of water , sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce, kaffir lime leaves.
Add tofu and mushrooms. Let it cook and boil for 5-6 minutes.
Add all the tossed veggies and bring the mixture to boil.
Add mint leaves at the end . The laksa curry is ready.
Take a deep bowl. Add 50 g of cooked rice noodles in it. Pour the vegetables, mushrooms and tofuf from the prepared laksa curry.
Pour 2-3 laddle full of laksa soup in the bowl and cover the vegetables, tofu,mushrooms and noodles in it. Garnish with lemon wedge, curry leaves, coriander leaves, mint leaves and some chili sauce. (you can also add bean sprouts).
Serve the vegetable laksa piping hot . The leftover can be refrigerated for couple of days in an airtight container.

Nutrition