The weather is still unbearably hot during the day, but sometimes it can get cold rather quickly at night. When this happen, I always want to eat noodle soup. My favorite is of course laksa, it reminds me of the place where I grew up, and that is very comforting feeling.

Laksa Lemak

serve 4

1 cornish hen, cut into pieces

8 large prawns

5 kaffir lime leaves

2 lemongrass (white part only), cut into 3 inch pieces - bruised

1 piece of dried galangal

2 cups coconut milk

200 g rice noodle, cook according to package direction - set side

2 calamansi (cut in half),  or 1 regular lime (cut into wedges)

2 Japanese, or Iranian cucumber, julienne

1 cup mung bean sprouts, soak in hot boiling water for 2 minutes

2 hard boil eggs, peel - cut in half

4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 green oinion (scallion), finely chopped

fried shallots, for garnish

For Laksa paste:

5 - 6 shallots

4 cloves garlic

4 - 5 red jalapeno

3 candlenut (kemiri), roughly chopped

1 tsp dry roasted shrimp paste

1 tbs roughly chopped ginger

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 kaffir lime leaves

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs fish sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken pieces in a large soup pot.  Rinse prawns under cold running water, remove the skin and the head, place them in a piece of cheese cloth, and tied to make a bundle, add it into soup pot. Pour enough water to make the base soup for the laksa. Add kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and dried galangal. Set the pot over high heat and let it boil. As soon as it boils, turn the heat to low, and simmer while you preparing the paste.

Make the paste: In a food processor, add all ingredients for laksa paste and process until smooth.

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a skillet, fry laksa paste until fragrant.

Remove shrimp heads and skins bundle from the broth, and discard. Add fried paste into the broth, add salt and fish sauce, stir to mix. Continue to cook on low until the hen is cooked. Add coconut milk, and prawns. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until prawns turn pink. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

To assemble:

Divide rice noodle, cucumber, bean sprouts, egg, and cherry tomatoes among 4 individual bowls. Ladle some laksa broth into the bowls. Add some chicken pieces, and prawns, garnish with calamansi, or lime wedges, chopped scallion and fried shallots. Serve with sambal on the side.