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Malaysia, Asia · Curry Laksa

Prawn Laksa Spaghetti

Laksa paste and coconut milk emulsified with pasta water the Italian way, coating spaghetti and seared prawns in a spicy, creamy sauce.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time28 min
DifficultyMedium

Method

  1. Slit the backs of the prawns shallowly, pull out the dark vein and pat them very dry with paper towel. Thinly slice the garlic, slice the chili on the diagonal and halve the cherry tomatoes. Juice half the lime and cut the rest into wedges.

  2. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a 24 cm pot over high heat, add the salt and the spaghetti and cook for , 1 minute less than the packet says, so it still has a little bite. Before draining, scoop out a mug of the pasta water.

    Add in this stepWater for the pasta 2 LSalt (for the pasta water) 14 gSpaghetti 200 g

    high heat

  3. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a 26 cm frying pan over medium-high heat and lay the prawns in a single layer. Cook for , turning once, until pink on both sides and lightly golden at the edges, then move them to a plate. If they do not fit in one layer, cook them in two batches.

    Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 1½ tbspRaw peeled prawns (medium) 12

    medium-high heat

  4. Lower the same pan to medium-low heat, add the butter and garlic, and once the garlic is pale gold add the laksa paste and fry for , until it smells strongly fragrant and the butter turns orange.

    Add in this stepButter 15 gGarlic cloves 3Store-bought curry laksa paste 3½ tbsp

    medium-low heat

  5. Add the coconut milk, cherry tomatoes and fish sauce and simmer over medium-low heat for , until the sauce thickens just enough to coat the back of a spoon thinly.

    Add in this stepCoconut milk 240 mlCherry tomatoes 8Fish sauce 1 tsp

    medium-low heat

  6. Lift the spaghetti straight into the pan with tongs, add 3 to 4 tbsp pasta water and toss vigorously over medium heat for . When the sauce clings glossily to the noodles, add the prawns and lime juice and toss once more. If it gets too thick, loosen with a splash more pasta water.

    Add in this stepLime ½

    medium heat

  7. Twirl onto plates, scatter with basil and chili, and serve with lime wedges.

    Add in this stepBasil leaves (or Thai basil) 8Fresh red chili 1Lime ½

Cook's tip

Store-bought laksa pastes vary in salt and heat, so start with a little less than the label suggests and add more to taste. Tossing hard with pasta water keeps the coconut sauce from splitting and makes it creamy. Do not let the prawns simmer in the sauce once they go back in.

Cooking it at camp

With one burner, sear the prawns and set them aside, make the sauce in the same pan, then cook the pasta in a pot and combine. Short on water? Snap the spaghetti in half and cook it in a smaller pot. Small cartons of coconut milk mean no leftovers.