Food Special: Malaysian Laksa Recipe

I just featured Malaysia for our Travel Special for this week and I got curious as to what could be Malaysia's best known food or delicacy. So I fired up my AIM and started asking around. I finally found a friend of mine has been staying in Malaysia for the past 6 months and says that he thinks Seafood Laksa is the most popular dish here since he sees it in almost every corner he goes to and he seems to like it quite a bit. I also asked if he knows how to cook it and luckily enough he gave me a recipe he got from the nanny of the house he was staying in.

here is what he sent me:
Ingredients

*3 medium-hot fresh red chilies, seeded
*4-5 garlic cloves
*5ml/1 tsp mild paprika
*10ml/2 tsp shrimp paste
*25ml/1 1/22 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
*250g/9oz small red shallots
*25g/1 oz fresh coriander (cilantro)
*45ml/3 tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil
*5ml/1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
*2 fennel bulbs, cut into thin wedges
*600ml/2 1/2 cups fish stock
*450ml/scant 2 cups coconut milk
*juice of 1 -2 limes
*30-45ml/2-3 tbsp fish sauce
*450g/1lb firm white fish fillet, cut into chunks
*20 large raw prawns (shrimp), shelled and deveined small bunch of basil
*300g/11oz thin vermicelli rice noodles, cooked
*2 spring onions (scallions), sliced

Serves 4-5

Method:

1.Process the chilies, garlic, paprika, shrimp paste, ginger and two shallots to a paste in a food processor. Set aside the coriander leaves. Add the stems to the paste with 15ml/1 tbsp oil and process again until fairly smooth.
2.Cook the remaining shallots. the fennel seeds and fennel wedges in the remaining oil in a large pan. When lightly browned, add 45ml/3 tbsp of the paste and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
3.Pour in the fish stock and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add the coconut milk. the juice of 1 lime and 30ml/2 tbsp of the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and adjust the flavoring.
4.Add the fish into chunks. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the prawns and cook until they turn pink Chop most of the basil and add to the pan with chopped coriander leaves.
5.Divide the noodles among 4-5 wide bowls. then ladle in the stew. Sprinkle with spring onions and whole basil leaves. Serve.

I have to say that cooking this dish takes a lot of patience and practice. I found it a bit difficult to do on my own until I found an alternative recipe from a youtube video which I think you might like as well.