laksa lemak (asian soup with noodles and prawns)

for the spice paste:

• 6 shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 4 red chillies, seeds removed, rouchly chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 kaffir lime leaf, soaked for a couple of minutes in boiling water and chopped
• 1/4 tsp grated ginger
• 6 macadamia nuts or 12 almonds

make a paste from all ingredients using mortar and pestle or a blender (add a bit of water if it's too thick).

• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1.5 l vegetable stock
• 1 stalk of lemon grass
• 2 kaffir ime leaves
• 5 slices of ginger
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• a tin of coconut milk (400ml)
• 150g beansprouts
• 500g prawns
• sugar and salt

heat the oil in a heavy based sauce pan and fry the paste for about 8 minutes, stirring all the time. pour in the stock and coconut milk. add lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger slices and the soy sauce. bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

adjust the taste with salt and sugar. add the prawns and beansprouts and cook for  2-3 minutes until the prawns are cooked (if using cooked ones they will only need heating through).

serve with

• 200g thick egg noodles, cooked
• half a cucumber, peeled and chopped into little sticks
• a couple of coriander leaves, chopped
• lime juice to taste