There are two great laksas — curry laksa (lemak) and asam laksa — and they share almost nothing except the name and the noodles. Curry laksa is the coconut-based one: a rich, golden-orange broth built on a fried spice paste, enriched with coconut milk, and loaded with rice noodles, shrimp, tofu puffs, and bean sprouts. Asam laksa is the tamarind-based fish broth version from Penang — sour, pungent, and polarizing. This guide covers curry laksa, the more globally beloved variant.
Laksa is worth making from scratch. The rempah (spice paste) is the heart of the dish, and it cannot be replicated from a jar — or rather, the jar version and the from-scratch version are categorically different experiences. Frying the rempah in oil until it separates and becomes deeply fragrant (the "pecah minyak" or "oil-break" moment) is what transforms a collection of ingredients into something that tastes deeply Malaysian.
Wrap the belacan in foil and toast in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes per side until fragrant and slightly dried — this reduces its raw fermented pungency and deepens its flavor. Cool. Add all rempah ingredients to a blender or food processor with 2–3 tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth paste. It should have a deep orange-red color. This paste can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pot or wok over medium heat. Add all the rempah paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes. This is the most important step in laksa. Initially it splatters; then it becomes fragrant; then it starts to look drier; then the oil separates out around the edges of the paste and the paste turns a deeper, darker color. This separation moment — pecah minyak ("oil-breaking") — signals that the spices are fully cooked. Do not rush this step with higher heat; you'll burn the outer layer while leaving the inside raw.
Add the stock to the fried rempah and bring to a boil, scraping all the paste from the pot bottom. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and reduce heat to low — do not let the broth boil hard after adding coconut milk (it can split and the fat separates unpleasantly). Simmer gently for 10 more minutes. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar, and salt. The broth should be rich, slightly thick from the coconut milk, and deeply spiced.
Add the shrimp to the simmering broth and cook 2–3 minutes until pink. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the tofu puffs and simmer 5 minutes — they absorb the broth beautifully. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer until serving.
Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Divide noodles into 4 deep bowls. Ladle the broth generously. Arrange shrimp, tofu puffs, bean sprouts, and halved egg on top. Garnish with sliced red chili. Serve with lime wedges and sambal on the side. Tell everyone it took an hour and a half. It did, and it was worth it.
KL curry laksa (what this recipe makes) uses thick white rice noodles (loh see fun), yellow egg noodles, or a mixture. The broth is rich and coconutty with a yellow-orange color from turmeric.
Penang asam laksa — completely different. Fish-based broth with tamarind, torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), and shrimp paste. Sour, fishy, funky, and extraordinary. A separate recipe entirely.
Sarawak laksa — considered by Anthony Bourdain to be "the greatest breakfast food on earth." Similar coconut curry base but finished with egg and shrimp, served with eggs stripped into thin ribbons. The paste is more complex (often includes dried prawns and belacan in greater quantity).
Belacan (Shrimp Paste) → Sambal Oelek →As an Amazon Associate, Borderless Kitchen earns from qualifying purchases made through links on this page. This does not affect the price you pay.