Bakso Laksa (Indonesian × Malaysian)

Method

1. Make the bakso paste: put the cold beef, tapioca, meatball garlic, salt and white pepper in a food processor and process for 3 min, adding the ice water a little at a time, until smooth and sticky. Keep it in the fridge until needed.

   Add in this stepLean minced beef, very cold 160 gTapioca starch (or potato starch) 20 gGarlic cloves for the meatballs, finely grated 1Salt ½ tspGround white pepper ¼ tspIce water 50 ml

2. Make the laksa paste: peel off the tough outer 1 or 2 layers of the lemongrass and thinly slice only the tender white lower part. Blend or pound it with the shallots, paste garlic, ginger, chillies and shrimp paste, adding the stated share of oil, to a fine paste.

   Add in this stepShallots (or small red onions) 3Garlic cloves for the paste 2Ginger 8 gLemongrass stalks 1Red chillies (deseed for less heat) 2Shrimp paste (belacan / terasi) ¾ tspVegetable oil ½ tbsp

3. Heat the rest of the oil in a 20 cm pot, add the laksa paste and fry on medium-low heat for 6 min, stirring often. When it has darkened a shade, oil seeps out at the edges and the shrimp smell turns toasty, add the curry powder and fry for 30 seconds more. Keep stirring: it catches easily.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspCurry powder 1½ tsp

   medium-low heat

4. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to the boil on medium heat for 5 min, then turn down to medium-low heat. With a wet hand, squeeze the paste into 3 cm balls, drop them into the broth with a spoon and cook for 8 min from the first one in. They are done when they all float and one cut open shows no pink.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 550 ml

   medium heat→medium-low heat

5. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar and heat on low heat for 2 min. Do not let it boil hard after the coconut milk goes in, or it will split. Taste and adjust: more fish sauce for salt, more sugar for sweetness.

   Add in this stepCanned coconut milk 240 mlFish sauce 1½ tspPalm sugar or light brown sugar 1 tsp

   low heat

6. Put the vermicelli and bean sprouts in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, soak for 3 min, then drain in a sieve.

   Add in this stepThin dried rice vermicelli 100 gBean sprouts 60 g

7. Divide the noodles and sprouts between bowls and ladle over the bakso and plenty of laksa broth. Top with cucumber and laksa leaves and serve with lime to squeeze over.

   Add in this stepCucumber, cut into matchsticks 60 gLaksa leaves (Vietnamese coriander) or mint 2 tbspLime wedges ½