Prawn Laksa: An Easy Malaysian Soup Recipe

Prawn laksa is a Malaysian soup that has prawns, rice, noodles, coconut milk, and various herbs and spices as its main ingredients. It is a dish that has sweet, creamy, spicy, and salty flavours. There are also variations of this prawn soup dish from other Asian cuisines.

The delicate flavours of this soup with prawns are delicious, and the subtle, aromatic spicing means that it is not too spicy for those who do not like too much heat in their food. However, it is possible to adapt this prawn laksa recipe to add a little extra heat and flavour if you are a fan of spicy food.

If you are new to cooking Asian cuisine and using herbs and spices in your cooking, then this Malaysian soup is a fantastic starting point. Even if you are not familiar with some of the ingredients, it is surprisingly quick and simple to make.

As it is so quick to make, it is a great soup to make if you have a busy lifestyle, and you need something you can throw together in under 20 minutes. It is surprising how hassle-free it is to make this Malaysian soup considering its layers of flavour.

Some Notes About This Prawn Laksa Recipe

One of the ingredients in this recipe is Thai red curry paste, which is readily available in most supermarkets and large groceries. You can also make the paste yourself, and there are instructions on how to do so on our Thai coconut and vegetable soup recipe.

A point that we would like to make about this soup is that if you eat a gluten-free diet, then you should check the rice noodles packaging first. According to Simply Gluten-Free, some rice noodles are gluten-free, while others are not.

We have included some instructions for using fresh lemongrass for those who are not familiar with this ingredient. Hopefully, this will help you to get as much flavour into this Malaysian prawn laksa soup as possible.

Here is how to make prawn laksa, a delicious and straightforward Malaysian soup.

Ingredients for Prawn Laksa

• 450 g/ 1 lb. peeled prawns (defrosted if frozen)
• 125 g/ 4.5 oz. rice noodles
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 200 ml/ 7 fl. oz. coconut milk
• 200 ml/ 7 fl. o. vegetable stock
• 3-4 tbsp. Thai red curry paste
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• 1 tbsp. Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. olive, sesame, or vegetable oil
• Lemon basil or coriander for garnish
• Finely sliced red chillies to garnish

How to Make Prawn Laksa

In this section of the prawn laksa recipe, we have included some notes on preparing and using fresh lemongrass, alongside the regular cooking instructions.

How to Prepare Lemongrass and Use it in Your Cooking

According to Fine Cooking, there are two main ways to prepare lemongrass, and both are suitable for this recipe. Therefore, we are including both methods, so it is your choice.

• Method 1: Trim the bases and spiky tops from the stalk, then use the flat side of a knife to crush the stalks and release the aromatic lemongrass oils. Cut each stalk into 1-inch pieces. This method is fantastic for infusing soups and teas with flavour, but you will need to remove the lemongrass stalk before serving due to its woody texture.
• Method 2: For creating curry or spice rubs, or for adding to salads or stir-fries, use this method. Remove the tops and bottoms of the stalks, then peel off the tough outer layers. Finely chop or mince the middle section of
• Additional Note: The longer you cook lemongrass, the more flavour it gives to food. For a mild lemongrass flavour, add this aromatic herb at the end of cooking. For a stronger flavour, add the lemongrass at the early stages of the cooking process.

Cooking the prawn Laksa

1. Put the rice noodles into a large bowl, then cover them with boiling water.
2. Soak the noodles for four minutes before draining.
3. Meanwhile, add the oil of your choice to a large wok, and put over medium heat.
4. Add the spring onions to the pan and cook for approximately three minutes, or until they have begun to soften.
5. Then, add the lemongrass, ginger, vegetable stock, coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, and fish sauce.
6. Cook for a further five minutes, so that the liquid is simmering to the point of almost boiling,
7. Reduce the heat to low, then add the prawns to the wok.
8. Cook for a further two or three minutes, to cook the prawns through.
9. Next, add the drained noodles to the pan, and cook the prawn laksa for a further two minutes in the wok.
10. If you have added crushed lemongrass stalks rather than the finely chopped central piece, then now is the time to remove them from the soup.
11. Serve the prawn laksa into warm bowls, then garnish with the finely sliced chillies and either lemon basil or coriander.

Additional Tips

• Low fat: Use spray oil and reduced-fat coconut milk to reduce the calories and fat content in this dish.
• Garnishes: Lemon basil has a similar taste to regular basil, but also has lemony flavours. If you cannot get hold of any lemon basil, then use coriander instead. If you do not like a lot of heat in your food, then omit the chillies from the prawn laksa recipe.
• Spicing: You can add more or less of the Thai red curry paste to the prawn laksa to suit your tastes.
• Similar recipes: If you are a fan of soups with fish and seafood, then you might also like our Cullen Skink recipe. Likewise, if you enjoy soups with spice, then a great option is our Moroccan chickpea soup recipe.