If you are anything like me, you love to cook and spend time with your mates. So what better than to host a dinner party! This particular dish is perfect for all the times you feel like throwing your phone across the room and unwinding for an hour or so. It is not too difficult, but the flavours speak for themselves. It is super easy to start ahead of time, so you can still socialise when your friends are over. Keep the broth on a low heat and stir occasionally, then when you are ready to sit down and start munching, you can just add the final bits!
NOTE: I love to top my laksa with some crispy fried tofu which makes these two dishes completely plant based! However, it is very easy to just add chicken or prawns to the laksa, if you would prefer, and of course swap the vegetable stock for chicken!
Crispy Tofu Laksa
Ingredients
(serves 4)
For the broth
- 1 tbsp red thai curry paste
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 400ml coconut milk
- 500ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 red chilli
- 1 large white onion
- 1 large red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1-2cm piece of garlic
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Salt and Pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Juice of a lime
- 250g dried rice vermicelli noodles
For the toppings (adapt as you wish / see fit)
- 1 block of extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp cornflour to dust
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic granules
- Salt and Pepper (to taste)
- 1 aubergine
- Pickled red onion
- 1 head of Pak choi
- Wedge of lime
Sweetcorn Fritters
Ingredients
(Makes six large fritters or eight smaller ones)
For the fritters
- Large tin of sweetcorn (the one I used was 326g)
- 100g plain flour
- 1 red chilli
- 2 spring onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt
- Black Pepper
For the yoghurt dressing
- 1 ½ tbsp greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
For the Laksa
- Slice the onion, aubergine and red pepper and add to an oiled pan.
- Add one teaspoon of smoked paprika, the minced garlic cloves, diced ginger, deseeded diced red chilli and salt and pepper to taste.
- Once tender, remove the aubergine and set aside to add to the top.
- Add the tomato puree, red thai curry paste and miso paste. Stir through and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the stock and coconut milk to the pan.
- Add soy sauce, lime juice and season with smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
- Keep on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
- To prepare the tofu, cut into slices and pat dry.
- Mix the cornflour, salt, pepper, garlic granules and smoked paprika in a separate bowl. Lightly coat the tofu in the dry mixture.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and add the tofu slices, cooking on each side for 3 minutes or until golden and crispy. Add the aubergine prepared earlier to the frying pan to crisp up.
- 5 minutes before serving, add the noodles and pak choi to the pan and cook with the lid on.
- Serve and add garnishes, I like mine with a wedge of lime, fresh parsley and pickled red onion.
For the fritters
- Deseed and finely dice the red chilli and garlic, and slice the spring onions.
- Empty the tin of sweetcorn into a mixing bowl, without draining and add to the chilli and spring onion.
- Add the flour and mix together to create a sticky batter. If needed, add some water to loosen the mixture.
- Add the dry seasonings to the mixture and stir through.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan (you can use the same oil as the crispy tofu or vice versa).
- Spoon the mixture into the oil and cook on each side for five minutes on each size, lightly pressing the fritter down when flipped.
- Remove from the pan and place on some kitchen roll to help absorb the oil.
- Whilst allowing them to sit, mix all the ingredients for the yoghurt dressing together.
- Serve the fritters topped with the yoghurt dressing. I also like mine with pickled red onions and some sweet chilli sauce on the side to dip.
Bon Appetit!
