Laksa Sarawak

Ingredients
Serves: 8

300 gms small prawns, peeled and deveined. Save shells for stock.
1 lemongrass bulb, bruised
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
125 ml water
1 kg chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1.5 litres coconut milk
100 gms dry roasted peanuts, ground
30 gms roasted sesame seeds, ground
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and sugar to taste
Oil for cooking
500 gms beehoon or yellow noodles, blanched in hot water before serving
Spice Paste
15 shallots, peeled
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 cm galangal, peeled
15 dried chillies, deseeded and soaked in water
4 candlenuts
3 lemongrass bulbs, chopped
2 cm toasted belacan

For the garnish

1 whole cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into matchsticks
2 fresh red chillies, sliced
3 spring onions, chopped
8 calamansi limes, halved
 Dried Prawn Sambal (see recipe)

Directions
Prep:15min Cook:30min Extra time:15min Ready in:1hr

1. First make the prawn stock by cooking the prawn shells with chopped onion, lemongrass
and water slowly until boiling. Strain the liquid and reserve.
2. Put all the spice paste ingredients into a food processer and blend until fine. Heat a little
oil in a pot and fry the spice paste until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces and cook over
low heat for 2 minutes. Pour in the prawn stock, chopped cilantro and coconut milk.
Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the ground peanuts, sesame seeds, lime juice and season with salt and sugar. Stir
well and add in the prawns. Continue cooking over low heat until the prawns are done
and serve hot with the noodles. Garnish each bowl with some cucumber, chopped spring
onions, cut chill, calamansi and some sambal.