Penang Asam Laksa with Mackerel and Pineapple

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

Malaysia's most addictive noodle soup: a sour, funky broth of flaked mackerel, tamarind and torch ginger, poured over slippery rice noodles and piled with shredded cucumber, pineapple, mint and a dark spoonful of prawn paste. Bracing, fragrant and wildly refreshing.

Per serving: 565 kcal · 34.0g protein · 78.0g carbs · 13.5g fat

Ingredients

• 500g fresh mackerel (or 2 x 125g tins mackerel in brine, drained)
• 2 litres water
• 4 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 3 torch ginger buds (bunga kantan), halved (or 2 extra lemongrass stalks)
• 10 daun kesum (Vietnamese mint) sprigs, or regular mint
• 4 tbsp tamarind pulp soaked in 250ml hot water, strained
• 4 pieces dried tamarind slices (asam keping)
• 10 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 20 min
• 4 fresh red chillies
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3cm fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
• 2cm galangal, sliced
• 1 tsp belacan (toasted shrimp paste)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt, to taste
• 500g thick fresh laksa rice noodles (or 300g dried thick rice vermicelli)
• 1/2 cucumber, julienned
• 1/4 pineapple, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 1 small red chilli, sliced
• Handful mint leaves
• 1 head lettuce, shredded
• 4 tbsp hae ko (prawn paste), loosened with a little hot water
• 2 limes, cut in wedges

Method

1. Bring the water to a boil with 2 lemongrass stalks. Add the mackerel and poach 8 minutes until just cooked. Lift out, reserving the stock.
2. Flake the fish off the bones, discarding skin and bones. Set half aside in chunks; keep the rest for the broth.
3. Blend the soaked dried chillies, fresh chillies, onion, garlic, turmeric, galangal and belacan with a splash of water to a smooth rempah.
4. Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the rempah over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until it darkens and the oil splits.
5. Pour in the reserved fish stock. Add remaining lemongrass, torch ginger buds, tamarind water, tamarind slices and the kesum sprigs.
6. Stir in the finer flaked fish, sugar and salt. Simmer uncovered 25 minutes. Taste: it should be aggressively sour, savoury and slightly sweet — adjust with salt, sugar or tamarind.
7. Meanwhile cook the noodles per packet, rinse under cold water and divide between four deep bowls.
8. Add the reserved chunky fish to the broth to warm through.
9. Ladle the boiling broth over the noodles. Top with cucumber, pineapple, red onion, chilli, mint and lettuce.
10. Finish each bowl with a tablespoon of loosened prawn paste and a lime wedge — stir in at the table.