Singapore Laksa

About This Recipe

Singapore Laksa — specifically the Katong or curry laksa variety — is the archipelago's most famous noodle soup: thick rice noodles submerged in a deeply aromatic broth built from a spice paste (rempah) of dried shrimp, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and candlenuts, then enriched with coconut milk to create a broth that is simultaneously fiery, creamy, and almost perfumed. The dish belongs to the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) culinary tradition, a 500-year-old fusion culture born when Chinese immigrants married local Malay women and their kitchens blended — shrimp paste meeting coconut milk, Hokkien noodle technique meeting Malay spice. Katong Laksa, the most iconic variant, uses thick cylindrical rice noodles that are pre-cut short so the whole bowl can be eaten with just a spoon — no chopsticks needed. At Singapore's great laksa stalls like 328 Katong Laksa and Marine Parade, the broth simmers for hours; at home, a good-quality rempah paste and patient frying give results within reach of any cook.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gthick round rice noodles (laksa noodles) or bee hoon(cooked per packet instructions, cut into 5 cm lengths)
• 400 gmedium raw prawns, peeled and deveined
• 200 gcockles or clams, briefly blanched and shelled
• 200 gtofu puffs (tau pok), halved
• 1 can (400ml)full-fat coconut milk
• 600 mlprawn or chicken stock
• 3 tbspdried shrimp (hae bee), soaked 10 minutes
• 5dried red chilies, soaked, seeds removed
• 4 stalkslemongrass, white part only, sliced
• 3 cmfresh galangal, sliced
• 3 cmfresh turmeric or 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 6candlenuts or macadamia nuts
• 6 shallotsshallots, peeled
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 2 tbspbelacan (shrimp paste), toasted
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 1 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 tbsplaksa leaf (daun kesom / Vietnamese mint), shredded(for garnish)
• 2 tbspsambal chili(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the rempah paste

   Blend soaked dried shrimp, soaked dried chilies, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, shallots, garlic, and belacan into a fine paste, adding a splash of water to help the blender move. The paste should be smooth and fragrant.

   Toasting the belacan in foil over a dry pan for 2 minutes before blending intensifies its flavor and reduces its raw pungency.

2. 2

   Fry the rempah

   Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the rempah paste and fry, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom, for 12–15 minutes until the oil separates from the paste and the paste darkens to a deep orange-red. This step cannot be rushed — it builds the entire flavor base.

3. 3

   Build the broth

   Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine and simmer gently 5 more minutes. Taste — it should be savory, spicy, and creamy. Adjust fish sauce (salt) and sugar as needed.

4. 4

   Add tofu puffs

   Add tofu puffs to the broth and simmer 5 minutes — they absorb the coconut broth and become succulent sponges of flavor.

5. 5

   Cook the prawns

   Add prawns and simmer 2–3 minutes until they curl and turn pink. Do not overcook — laksa prawns should be just done and juicy.

6. 6

   Add cockles

   Add pre-blanched cockles or clams and warm through for 1 minute. They are already cooked; you just want them heated.

7. 7

   Assemble and serve

   Divide pre-cooked noodles among warmed deep bowls. Ladle broth and toppings generously over. Scatter laksa leaf. Serve with sambal chili on the side.

   For Katong-style, cut noodles short enough to eat with a spoon only — no chopsticks needed.

Variations

• •

  Assam laksa: replace coconut milk with tamarind water and sardine flakes for a sour, fish-forward Penang-style broth.

• •

  Vegetarian laksa: use tofu, mushrooms, and vegan stock; replace belacan with miso paste and add nori for umami.

• •

  Prawn-only version: skip cockles and double the prawns — simpler but still deeply satisfying.

Storage

Store broth and noodles separately in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat broth gently (do not boil hard — coconut milk can split); add fresh noodles when serving.

Frequently Asked Questions