Vegetarian Laksa (Malaysian Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)

Name: Vegetarian Laksa (Malaysian Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 1 cup shallots; 4 clove garlic; 2 tbsp galangal; 1 tbsp lemongrass; 3 piece red chilies; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 can coconut milk; 3 cup vegetable stock; 1 tbsp white miso; 2 tbsp tamari; 1 tsp brown sugar; 14 oz firm tofu; 1 can chickpeas; 6 oz rice vermicelli (bee hoon); 2 cup bean sprouts; 4 cup baby bok choy; 2 tbsp lime juice; 4 tbsp fresh cilantro; 1 piece red chili; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp neutral oil

A creamy, fragrant coconut-curry laksa made without shrimp or fish paste — packed with pan-fried firm tofu, chickpeas and greens so it's hearty and undeniably satisfying.

AI image

45 min

start to finish

20 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

Laksa paste

1 cup shallotspeeled and roughly chopped
4 clove garlicpeeled
2 tbsp galangalpeeled and chopped (or 1 tbsp ginger if unavailable)
1 tbsp lemongrasswhite part only, thinly sliced
3 piece red chiliesseeded for milder heat; or 1 tbsp sambal paste
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp neutral oilfor blending (helps puree)

Soup

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can coconut milk13.5–14 oz (400 ml), full-fat for best flavor
3 cup vegetable stockhot
1 tbsp white misofor umami (no fish)
2 tbsp tamarior regular soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar

Protein & Add-ins

14 oz firm tofu400 g, pressed and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 can chickpeas15 oz (drained and rinsed)

Noodles & Veg

6 oz rice vermicelli (bee hoon)200 g dried
2 cup bean sproutswashed
4 cup baby bok choyor spinach, halved if large

Finish & garnish

2 tbsp lime juiceabout 1 lime
4 tbsp fresh cilantroroughly chopped
1 piece red chilithinly sliced for garnish (optional)
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp neutral oilfor pan-frying tofu

Contains soy. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

580 kcal18g protein50g carbs32g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Make the laksa paste: put shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, red chilies, ground turmeric, ground coriander and 1 tablespoon oil in a blender or food processor and blitz to a smooth paste.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat, add the paste and fry, stirring, until fragrant and the oil separates slightly.
Stir in the coconut milk, hot vegetable stock, miso, tamari and brown sugar and bring to a gentle simmer.
While the broth simmers, press tofu between paper towels or a clean tea towel to remove excess moisture and cut into 1/2" cubes.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and pan-fry the tofu, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden-brown and slightly crisp.
Pour the chickpeas into the simmering broth and simmer gently until the chickpeas are warmed through and the flavors have melded.
Prepare the rice vermicelli: place in a large bowl and cover with very hot tap water or boiling water, soak until just softened (per package, about 4–5 minutes), then drain and set aside.
Add the bok choy (or spinach) and bean sprouts to the broth and simmer 2–3 minutes until the greens are tender but still bright.
Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt or additional tamari and lime juice for brightness.
Divide noodles between bowls, top with pan-fried tofu, ladle the hot laksa broth, scatter cilantro and sliced chili over each bowl, and serve with extra lime wedges.

Worth knowing

The laksa paste can be made ahead and frozen in portions for quick weeknight meals.
If you don't have galangal, use the same amount of ginger; galangal gives the more typical Malaysian flavor but ginger is a good substitute.
For more depth, stir 1 teaspoon of soy sauce or extra miso into the tofu just before frying.
Adjust heat by adding more chilies or a spoonful of sambal oelek to the paste.
Use tamari or gluten-free miso to keep this gluten-free; regular soy sauce will work but contains gluten.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

VegetarianMeal prep

More Malaysian cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Malaysian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegetarian as listed.