Asam Laksa

This is the 7th entry for the Food Inspired by People project. Every Monday for three months, I will post a dish that is inspired by a person. Today is Asam Laksa inspired by Ai Vy – my sister. The first child.

1st Entry: Sambal (spicy Malaysian condiment)
2nd Entry: Dry Wonton Noodles
3rd Entry: Taiwanese Chicken Rice
4th Entry: Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice)
5th Entry: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
6th Entry: Potato Egg Salad

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If you have a sister that’s at least 4 years older than you, then you’ll know how crucial they were at exemplifying the boyfriend-girlfriend thing for you. Why 4 years? Well, boys become important when we are 13. So if your sister’s between 1 to 3 years older than you, she’d only be 14, 15 or 16 years old. That’s way too few years to provide any valuable insight to this vital topic. But at 17 years old, well, that’s like a veteran in boy-girl relationships already.

How to flirt with a boy? Just listen to her phone calls. What to feel when a guy likes you? Read her diary. How to lie to your parents? Just eavesdrop on their conversation.

Sometimes I wish my life was as dramatic as I write them.

In reality, those things didn’t happen. What really happened was I remember her cooking burnt carrots for me. I remember her forcing me to unclog the sink filled with my own puke. I remember her bribing me with non existent candy and I fell for it every single time. I don’t remember this, but  I was told by a little bird that she left me sitting with my poop on a book where I was sitting on when I pooped.

See, that’s my reality.

She’s obviously taller, faster, smarter, and has all the first child opportunities. She was also always cooler. She’s even cool enough to let me hang around on her birthdays with her older and cooler friends. Eventually, I grew old enough to be as cool as her (perhaps even cooler now that I can make Asam Laksa from scratch). We hang out and our favorite thing to do together is eat… and shop. But mostly eat.

P.I.G.G.I.N.G  O.U.T.

We can eat all day, every day. One of the things we both can’t get enough of is Asam Laksa (pronounced ah some luck sa like ba in ba ba black sheep).

Even CNN Travel ranked Asam Laksa 7th out of the 50 most delicious food in the world. It’s a very popular Malaysian spicy and sour fish noodles soup that is truly addictive. It has poached and flaked mackerel in a broth filled with smacking delicious flavor of tamarind, chilies, mint and lemongrass to name a few.

Writing that sentence alone makes me salivate already. Put a bowl of Asam Laksa in front of me this instant and I’ll just die.

 

Also, if you haven’t done so already, check out my last post Peri-Peri Chicken. It’s the closest thing to Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken. Chicken is first marinated in a spicy & tangy sauce and is roasted to perfection. So simple to make too.

To see all the delectable entries for the Food Inspired by People project, click here.

What special memories do you and your older sibling share?

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Asam Laksa          Serves 6

3 packs 15 oz Vietnamese noodles
2 1/2 lb mackerel, fillet (Scales & gills removed. Keep the head, tail & back bone for stock)

Spice Paste:
16 shallots, peeled
12 dried cayenne chilies, deseeded and soaked in water
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2″ galangal (blue ginger root), use knife to slice skin off and roughly chop
1/2″ fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
5 candlenuts (or macadamia)
4 stalks lemongrass, white parts only, sliced (keep the green stalks for the fish stock)
2 torch ginger flower buds (bunga kantan), sliced
1 tbs grated shrimp paste (belacan), lightly toasted on a pan

Fish Stock:
Bones from fish, place in a stock bag
1/2 cup anchovies (optional for extra oomph to stock)
2″ galangal (blue ginger root), sliced
2 stalks lemongrass + the green stalks from the 4 stalks above, 3″ length bruised
4-5 pieces dried asam peels (or 2 limes, juiced)
1 bunch Vietnamese mint (rao rum)
1 torch ginger flower bud (bunga kantan)
1/2 cup tamarind pulp
9 cups water

Seasonings:
1 1/2 tbs fish sauce
2 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 cup sugar

Toppings:
4-5 small Persian cucumbers, julienned or diced
1 small pineapple, julienned or diced
1 small red onion, julienned or diced
1-2 red fresh Fresno chilies, sliced
1-2 bunch mint
1-2 bunch Vietnamese mint (rao rum)

directions:

Fish Stock:

1. In a blender or food processor, blend the spice paste until smooth.

2. Over medium low heat, add two tablespoons of oil in a large pot. Add the spice paste and fry for 5-10 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the stock bag, anchovies, galangal, lemongrass, asam peels, Vietnamese mint, flower bud and tamarind pulp into the pot and fry for a couple minutes.

4. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, simmer covered for 40 – 60 minutes.

5. Drain the soup and discard the solids. Put the soup back into the pot, skim half or all of the oil and over high heat, bring the soup back to a boil.

6. Once boiled, add the seasonings and mackerel fillet into the pot. Let it simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes over medium low heat. Soup will reduce a little and fish will cook.

7. Using a ladle, break up the fish (or alternatively, take it out, flake it and put it back). The fish will ‘thicken’ the soup.

8. Taste the soup. For saltier, add salt or fish sauce. For more sour, add tamarind peels or lime juice. To make the soup more concentrated, boil it a little longer until it reduces some more.

Noodles:

Put a pot of water to boil. Cook noodles for 1 minute, drain and set aside. Noodles (originally opaque) will look translucent.

Assembling:

In a bowl, place some noodles in it. Pour hot soup over noodles and top with both types of mint, cucumber, pineapple, onions and red chilies. Optionally, add a tablespoon of black prawn paste (see notes below). Serve immediately.

Notes:

1. Chilies – I used dried cayenne chilies hence the amount used. If you use a less spicy type of dried chili (like Fresno or Holland chilies), double the amount.

2. Most ingredients can be found in any Asian market, especially a Thai market. A few ingredients are a little trickier:

a. Vietnamese mint – I suggest calling the markets before you go from store to store looking for this. I got lucky and found ‘rao rum’ in a huge Chinese market I happened to be in.

b. Torch ginger flower buds – I haven’t found any in the U.S. but decided to keep it in the recipe just in case you find this in any markets.

c. Dried asam peels comes from a fruit that is cut and dried. The peels brings the much needed tang along with a fruity aroma to the soup. I’ve yet found any in markets but they are sold here. Thank god.

3. Black prawn paste and shrimp paste (belacan) is different. Black prawn paste is in a liquid form, is black and thick (like molasses). It’s sold in plastic bottles. Shrimp paste is dark grey/brown and is in a hard brick form. It’s sold in plastic or paper wrappings.

4. I make the soup in large batches and freeze in portions of two servings. When I need it, I just thaw the soup, cook the noodles, add the toppings and my meal is ready in less than 10 minutes.

PS: Ok, now for the honest truth. Most Malaysians don’t even know how to makes this just because it’s so widely available outside and is cheap too. If you (bless your heart), try to make this at home, I salute you. Nay, all Malaysians salute you. CNN salutes you too. Job well done, peep(s).