Creamy Curry Laksa Noodle Soup with Prawns and Tofu 🇲🇾

This Curry Laksa is a Malaysian noodle soup made with a spiced coconut milk broth, typically served with prawns, tofu, and fresh herbs.

About Curry Laksa

Origins
Laksa is a Southeast Asian noodle soup that emerged from the Peranakan communities—descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in the Malay Archipelago and intermarried with local populations. This cultural fusion led to a cuisine blending Chinese and Malay elements, with laksa being a prime example. The dish’s name may derive from the Cantonese term “là sá,” meaning “spicy sand,” referencing the soup’s gritty texture from ground dried shrimp. Alternatively, it might trace back to the Persian word “lakhshah,” referring to a type of noodle, indicating possible linguistic influences from ancient trade routes.

Tradition
Today, laksa is a popular street food across Malaysia and Singapore, typically served in casual hawker centres. Curry Laksa features a coconut milk-based broth, spiced with curry powder, lemongrass, and chilli, and is usually topped with noodles, tofu puffs, prawns, and fresh bean sprouts. Asam Laksa, on the other hand, uses a sour tamarind-based broth and mackerel. Different regions favour different toppings; for example, in Kuala Lumpur, it is common to add chicken alongside prawns, while in Penang, tofu puffs and fish cakes are popular additions.

This Recipe:
This version of Curry Laksa uses both prawns and tofu for a balanced texture, along with a homemade spice paste built from fresh lemongrass, ginger, and green chilli.
Instead of store-bought curry paste, it uses simple curry powder combined with aromatics for an accessible preparation. The broth base combines chicken stock and coconut milk for a creamy but not overly rich texture. Fresh lime juice and coriander leaves are added just before serving to brighten the final flavour.
This curry laksa recipe captures the creamy, spicy essence of the Malaysian classic, perfect for a cosy meal at home.

Ingredients for Curry Laksa

Main Ingredients

• tofu – Traditionally, tofu puffs are used for their spongy texture. Check your local Asian grocery shops for frozen or fresh packs, or use firm tofu as a substitute.
• prawns – Fresh, cleaned and deveined, or frozen.
• bean sprouts – Rinse well before using.
• eggs – Typically boiled and halved.
• noodles – Traditionally, a mix of thick rice noodles and rice vermicelli is used. If unavailable, use just one type, or substitute with thin spaghetti for convenience.
• coconut milk

For the Paste

• onion – Fresh yellow onion.
• garlic – Use fresh, not powdered, paste or granules.
• lemongrass – Use the white part only, finely chopped.
• ginger – Fresh root, about 3 cm.
• turmeric – For colour and earthy flavour.
• chilli – Use fresh green ones, a mild or hot variety depending on preference.
• chilli flakes – Adjust to taste.
• shrimp paste – If unavailable, use salted anchovies (jarred) as a substitute for traditional fermented shrimp paste (belacan).

Other Ingredients

• curry powder – Mild or hot, depending on preference.
• chicken broth – Traditionally made by simmering chicken bones and prawn shells with aromatics; a chicken stock cube can be used as a shortcut.
• fish sauce – For umami and saltiness.
• sugar – Use light brown sugar.
• coriander leaves – Fresh.
• lime – For juice.
• oil – For sautéing the paste.

How to make Curry Laksa

Prepare the toppings

• Boil the eggs until hard. Peel and slice into rounds.
• Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain, toss with a little oil, and cover to keep warm.
• If using fresh tofu, cut it into small cubes and pan-fry in a little oil until golden on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and keep covered. If using traditional tofu puffs, there’s no need to fry; just rinse briefly under hot water to remove excess oil, then set aside.

Make the spice paste

• Add all the paste ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Start the broth

• Heat some oil in a saucepan. Add the blended paste and sauté for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
• Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, and half the coriander. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk.

Finish the broth

• When the broth comes to a gentle boil, add the cleaned prawns, lime or lemon juice, and sugar. Simmer for 3–4 minutes. Season with black pepper. If using pre-cooked prawns, reduce the cooking time to 1 minute.
• Add the bean sprouts and remaining chopped coriander leaves during the final minute of cooking.

How to serve Curry Laksa

To serve, place a small portion of noodles into each deep bowl. Add a few pieces of fried tofu, then ladle the hot soup over the top. Add the boiled egg, either halved or cut into wedges. Finish with chopped fresh chilli and spring onion, and serve immediately.

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