Quick Asam Laksa with Shrimp

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 1 tablespoon Thai red chili paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces egg noodles or rice noodles, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots.

2. 2

   Fill a large pot with 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil over high heat, about 6 minutes.

3. 3

   Pour the tamarind paste and red chili paste into a small bowl and stir them together until well combined, breaking up any lumps.

4. 4

   Once the water boils, add the noodles to the pot and stir once with a wooden spoon to separate them.

5. 5

   Cook the noodles, stirring once every 30 seconds, until they are tender but still firm to bite, about 6 minutes total.

6. 6

   While noodles cook, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a separate small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.

7. 7

   Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and stir constantly for 15 seconds until it smells fragrant, then add the tamarind-chili mixture and stir for another 15 seconds.

8. 8

   Pour the garlic-tamarind mixture into the noodle pot, add the shrimp and fish sauce, and stir gently.

9. 9

   Simmer over medium heat, stirring once every 20 seconds, until the shrimp turn from gray to opaque pink throughout, about 3 minutes.

10. 10

    Taste the broth and add salt and pepper as needed, stirring once to combine.

11. 11

    Ladle the noodles, shrimp, and broth into two bowls, dividing evenly.

Tools you’ll need

• large pot (4-quart)
• small skillet (8-inch)
• small bowl
• wooden spoon
• ladle
• two serving bowls

More recipes like this

• 

  Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà)

  28 min

• 

  Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant

  25 min

• 

  Patatas Bravas

  25 min

• 

  Quick Chicken and Leek Pie

  28 min