Chicken Tofu Laksa Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Author Notes

This recipe was my second attempt at laksa, a tangy and spicy Southeast Asian soup, using a combination of different recipes and ideas from around the web. The ingredient list is fairly long, but the soup itself is quick and easy to make and really satisfying. This version has chicken and tofu, but it can be made with any combination of chicken, shrimp, or tofu. —Snafu06

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Snafu06 has been a member of the Food52 community for the past four years and cooks from a variety of cuisines.
WHAT: A sweet and tangy Asian noodle soup that's easy to throw together.
HOW: Don't be put off by the long ingredient list -- once you've raided your fridge and pantry, it's only a matter of cooking shallots, shrimp paste, and chicken in ground spices, then simmering them in coconut milk, tofu, and chicken broth. Pour the soup base over a bowl of rice noodles, add some garnishes, and you're slurp-ready.
WHY WE LOVE IT: As if the beautiful yellow color of the soup wasn't enough to brighten this winter (spring?) day, one spoonful and we were sold. The flavors complement each other beautifully: The spices are balanced by sweet coconut milk, then brought back out by the cilantro and lime garnishes. —The Editors

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• 2 cupsfirm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 2 tablespoonscoriander seeds
  
• 1 tablespoonblack peppercorns
  
• 1 tablespooncumin seeds
  
• 1 tablespoonfennel seeds
  
• 4 cloves
  
• ¹/₄ teaspoonground turmeric
  
• 8 chiles de árbol, stemmed
  
• 4 tablespoonscanola or vegetable oil, divided
  
• 3 shallots, sliced
  
• 1 poundboneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
• 1 teaspoonshrimp paste (available in the Asian aisle of supermarkets or at Asian markets); omit if you're adding shrimp or prawns
  
• 1 (13 1/2–ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
  
• 2 teaspoonssugar
  
• ¹/₂ teaspoonsalt, plus more to taste
  
• 1 cinnamon stick
  
• 2 lemon grass stalks, bottom three inches, tough outer skin removed, lightly crushed (just to start the juices releasing)
  
• 1 quartlow-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1 poundrice noodles, cooked to package directions (I use wide ones, but this is a personal preference)
  
• ¹/₂ cupmung beans (canned is fine if you can't find them fresh, but make sure to rinse and drain them)
  
• ¹/₃ cupmint leaves, roughly chopped (optional, for garnish)
  
• ¹/₃ cupcilantro, chopped (for garnish)
  
• 2 limes, cut into wedges (for garnish)