Curry Laksa pairs best with which wine?
For the love of exploring and having fun figuring which wines from the UMAMU range pair with a particular dish. This search for the best pairs of UMAMU with curry laksa was surprising to say the least and then figuring out why... Watch our cooking pairing video below. Here is a favourite Curry Laksa recipe by Clarissa Feildel's Grandma, thank you Clarissa for sharing this recipe!
Curry Laksa pairs best with Sauvignon Blanc that has had time in the bottle, Chardonnay and Rose from the UMAMU range.
Curry Laksa Recipe
Clarissa's Grandma's Laksa Ingredients:
400 g (14 oz) skinless chicken breast fillets1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) Chicken stock, sea salt, to taste
20 fish balls
200 g (7 oz) piece fishcake, boiled and thinly sliced
800 g (1 lb 12 oz) raw tiger prawns (shrimp)
80 ml (2 ½ fl oz/ ½ cup) peanut oil
175 g (6 oz) Laksa paste (see recipe below)
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) coconut milk
Sugar to taste
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) coconut cream
20 fried tofu puffs, scalded in hot water briefly to remove excess oil
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) egg noodles, blanched in hot water and drained
300 g (10 ½ oz) vermicelli, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, then blanched in hot water and drained
200 g (7 oz) bean sprouts
1 Lebanese (short) cucumber, julienned
Large handful of Vietnamese mint, coarsely chopped
90 g (3 ¼ oz/ ½ cup) Sambal belacan
2 limes cut into wedges
Method:
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a small heavy-based saucepan – they should fit in a single layer bit quite snugly. Cover with the chicken stock and sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of salt. Place over high heat and bring to the boil, then quickly reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken to poach in the stock, covered, for 10 minutes, or until cooled. Fish out the chicken breasts and roughly shred the meat. Reserve the stock in the pan.
Bring the saucepan of stock to the boil over high heat, add the fish balls and cook for 2 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the fishcake and cook for 2 minutes, then remove and set aside.
Lastly, add the prawns and cook for 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave to cool slightly, then peel and devein the prawns. Set the prawns aside and reserve the stock – by now it’s going to be full of flavour!
Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan, add the laksa paste and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the reserved stock and bring to the boil. Add the coconut milk and salt and sugar to taste, then return to the boil, stirring constantly. Once the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and stir in the coconut cream. Increase the heat just enough to bring the laksa broth to a simmer, add the tofu puffs and stir constantly, turning off the heat just before the broth comes back to the boil.
To assemble, place a little of each type of noodle in serving bowls and top with the shredded chicken, fish balls, fishcake and prawns. Ladle over the hot laksa broth with some tofu puffs and garnish with bean sprouts, cucumber and mint. Serve with sambal belacan and lime wedges on the side.
Laksa Paste Ingredients:
12 red Asian shallots, peeled
1 x 5 cm (2 inch) piece turmeric
1 x 7.5 cm (3 inch) piece galangal
8 lemongrass stems, pale part only
20-30 g (¾ – 1oz) dried chillies, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
12 candlenuts
8 garlic cloves peeled and left whole
20 g (¾ oz) belacan (dried shrimp paste)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
80ml (2 ½ fl oz/ 1/3 cup) peanut or canola oil
Put the shallot, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, dried chillies, candlenuts, garlic, belacan, salt and sugar in a blender and pulse to form a smooth paste, adding a bit of water if necessary.
Heat a wok over high heat and pour in the oil. When smoking, add the laksa paste and sauté over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until fragrant and the oil has split from the paste. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.