Laksa is a creamy coconutty broth which is spicy, delicious and is  a very traditional Thai dish. It’s always served in a big bowl with noodles and with lots of garnishes, so it looks scrumptious. You can also make this recipe with whatever takes your fancy, so you can add different seafood to it like squid and scallops or shell fish. It’s up to you and if you omit the noodles you have a very tasty, creamy low carb meal. It’s perfect for date night dinner with your darling, when you fancy something hot and spicy.

Recipe

Serves 2.

Ingredients:
180g of raw prawns, shrimps or langoustines
A handful of baby pak choy or chopped pak choy
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of the laksa paste, recipe following this list
400ml tin of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
2 limes juiced
2 tablespoons of Nam Pla fish sauce
Cucumber strips or shaved with a potato peeler (as a garnish)
A few salad onions finely chopped
Coriander leaves as a garnish
400ml of hot fish stock (I use Knorr stock pots)
100g of uncooked brown rice noodles. Follow cooking instructions on the packet.

Laksa paste
2 red chillies
2 cloves of garlic
Half a thumb of fresh ginger or galangal
4 small chopped shallots
1 stick of lemongrass
1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce which is called Nam Pla
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter or peanut butter or 50g of raw cashews

Put all the ingredients into a small food processor and whizz up till smooth. Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Or you can freeze it for months.

How:
Put the coconut oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan or frying pan on a medium heat.
Add the prawns and stir fry for a minute or so, then add three tablespoons of the laksa paste. Stir fry for a few more minutes.
Add the coconut milk, lime juice, pak choi, maple syrup, fish sauce and stock and simmer for a few more minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles and once cooked divide between two large bowls then ladle on the prawns and the sauce.
Top with the cucumber, salad onion and coriander and wedges of lime.

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl