Aroma therapy: Red curry laksa noodle soup; roasted brussels sprouts, chickpeas & edamame

Malaysian laksa (noodle soup) is a staple of food courts, but home-made is always better.

Laksa

Here I’ve cut a corner in this laksa recipe by using a store-bought curry paste, which provides an excellent canvas for quickly building a richly aromatic soup.

RED CURRY LAKSA NOODLE SOUP

250g fresh egg noodles

250g rice vermicelli

250g tofu, cubed

200g Asian greens or broccoli

100g bean sprouts

1-2 limes, cut into wedges

Sea salt

Laksa soup

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

2-3cm piece ginger, finely chopped

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 litre vegetable stock

400ml can coconut milk

2 curry leaves, fresh or dried

4 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

Crispy fried shallots, coriander leaves and sliced red chilli for garnishing, as desired

For the soup, place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add curry paste, stir for another 30 seconds, then add stock, coconut milk, curry leaves, lime leaves, sugar and salt; bring to a gentle boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes to incorporate flavours. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add both types of noodles and cook according to packet instructions. When noodles are al dente, drain, refresh in cold water and drain again. Add tofu and greens to the soup and cook for 1 minute until heated through. Taste and season with sea salt. Divide noodles among bowls and pour over soup. Top with bean sprouts and lime wedges; garnish as desired. Serves 4

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CHICKPEAS & EDAMAME

600g Brussels sprouts, halved

500g cooked chickpeas

250g frozen edamame beans

Olive oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

125ml ginger-shallot oil

¹⁄³ cup toasted sesame seeds

Sea salt and black pepper

2 shallots, finely chopped

Handful of coriander leaves

Preheat oven to 220C. Place brussels sprouts, chickpeas and edamame beans on a large baking tray and drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle over ground coriander and season well with sea salt and black pepper; toss to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until sprouts are tender and chickpeas and edamame are slightly crispy. Remove to a large bowl, add ginger-shallot oil and half the sesame seeds and toss to combine. Taste and season with sea salt and black pepper; top with shallots, coriander leaves and remaining sesame seeds. Serves 4-6

Ginger-Shallot Oil

150g ginger, peeled, finely chopped

6 shallots (spring onions), finely sliced, white and green separated

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sea salt

310ml vegetable oil

Place ginger, white part of shallots, soy sauce and salt in a heatproof bowl. Place oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. When hot, carefully pour over ginger/shallot mixture. Allow to cool. Add green part of shallots; stir to combine. Makes 2 cups

To Asia, With Love, by Hetty McKinnon

Edited extract from To Asia, With Love by Hetty McKinnon (Plum, $40). Photography: Hetty McKinnon