Rosemary Kearney's Chicken and Coconut Laksa
Everyone loves this soup – be sure to taste and add lots of freshly squeezed lime juice and maybe a dash more fish sauce.
SERVES
8
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
10
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
20
MINUTES
Ingredients
150g fine rice noodles
2 red chillies, chopped with seeds
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
150g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks coarsely chopped
Juice of 1-2 limes
1 chicken breast, free range (cut into very thin shreds) (250g)
50ml toasted sesame oil
2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
Generous 700ml homemade chicken stock
1 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle
Coriander leaves
Method
Pour boiling water over the bowl of rice noodles and allow to soak until soft – 10 minutes approximately.
Drain and cut into 5cm lengths. Put the chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander and juice of one lime into a food processor and pulse to a coarse paste.
Thinly slice the chicken breast at an angle and set aside.
Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan and fry the chilli paste for 3 minutes. Add the whisked coconut milk and chicken stock.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the thinly shredded chicken, bring back to the boil and barely simmer for a further 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Add the fish sauce and taste and add more lime juice, salt and pepper if necessary.
Divide the noodles into serving bowls, ladle in the hot soup and garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves.
Note: Do not allow the soup to boil once the chicken is added, otherwise the meat will be tough.
