Johor Laksa

Ingredients: Ingredients A: 125 ml / 4 fl oz Vegetable Oil 2 litres / 64 fl oz Coconut Milk (Santan Cair) 500 g / 1 pound 1 ½ oz fresh Prawns 300 g / 10 oz Indian Mackerel (Ikan Kembung), boiled and flaked 1 kg / 2 pounds, 3 oz Wolf Herring (Ikan Parang), grilled or boiled and flaked 100 g / 3 ½ oz Salted Fish (Ikan Masin) 2 small packets Meat Curry Powder – mixed with water to a paste 1 cup roasted, pounded desiccated Coconut (Kerisik) 1 cup Tamarind Juice (Assam Juice) - mix Tamarind Pulp with hot water, strain 15 Laksa Leaves or Vietnamese Mint (Daun Kesum), finely chopped 5 Mint Leaves (Daun Pudina), finely chopped Salt and sugar to taste Seafood Stock Prawn heads / Fish bones (optional onion, Dried Shrimps, Lemongrass (Serai) and fresh herbs) fried till fragrant, add in water and bring to boil. Blend all ingredients well and strain. Laksa Paste Ingredients: 3 cm / 1 ½ inch Galangal (Lengkuas or Blue Ginger), peeled 2 cm / 1 inch fresh Ginger, peeled 8 Lemongrass (Serai), sliced 5 Garlic cloves ½ cup / 4 fl oz dried Shrimps (Hebi, Udang Kering), soaked in cold water and drained 3 cm / 1 ½ fresh Turmeric (Kunyit), peeled 30 dried Chilies, soaked in boiling water and well drained 125 ml / 4 fl oz roasted Shrimp Paste (Belacan) 25 Shallots (Red Onion), peeled 1 cup water Ingredients B (optional): 2 packets Spaghetti, boiled until cooked 2 Cucumbers, peeled, discard seeds and slice into thin narrow strips 250 g / 9 oz Bean Sprout (Tauge) 200 g / 7 oz Long Beans or Snake Beans (Kacang Panjang), sliced thinly 15 Basil Leaves, finely chopped 10 Calamansi Lime (Limau Kalamansi, Limau Kasturi), halved 1 Tbsp pounded Chili and roasted Shrimp Paste (Sambal Belacan)

Method: Heat Vegetable oil in a heavy pot. Add in the Laksa Paste and render the Paste slowly. Fry till fragrant. Add in Meat Curry Powder (mixed with water), and cook over moderate heat until fragrant and oil begins to appear on the surface. Add in all the flaked Fish, dried Fish, Prawns, Coconut Milk and Seafood Stock. Add in fresh herbs (chopped), Tamarind Juice and roasted, pounded desiccated Coconut (Kerisik). Add in salt and sugar to taste. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until gravy thicken, then serve the Laksa gravy together with Ingredients B.