Textual Chef Textual Chef

Rice Noodle Laksa

A rich, spiced coconut milk broth filled with rice noodles, shrimp, and aromatic laksa paste made from chiles, lemongrass, and galangal. This Malaysian street-food classic is deeply satisfying and naturally gluten-free.

65 minMediumServes 4540 cal/serving

MalaysianSoupStovetopPescatarianHigh FiberHigh ProteinLow CarbGluten-FreeDairy-FreeAlcohol-FreeNightshade-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

  • 8 oz dried flat rice noodles (about 1/4-inch wide)
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)
  • 4 cups chicken stock (or seafood stock)
  • 4 tbsp laksa paste (store-bought, such as Yeo's or Prima Taste)
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised, cut
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 8 lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Soak 8 oz dried flat rice noodles (about 1/4-inch wide) in hot water for 15 minutes until pliable but not fully cooked. Drain and set aside.

  2. 2

    Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 4 tbsp laksa paste (store-bought, such as Yeo's or Prima Taste) and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the oil turns orange.

  3. 3

    Add 2 bruised, cut lemongrass stalks to the pot and pour in 4 cups chicken stock (or seafood stock). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes to infuse the broth.

  4. 4

    Add 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz), 2 tbsp fish sauce, and 2 tsp granulated sugar. Stir to combine and return to a gentle simmer.

  5. 5

    Add 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined and cook for 3-4 minutes until pink and curled, reaching an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Remove and discard lemongrass.

  6. 6

    Add the drained rice noodles to the pot and heat through for 1-2 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lime juice.

  7. 7

    Ladle soup into bowls. Top with 2 cups fresh bean sprouts, 4 sliced green onions, and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges (for serving) on the side.

Questions

How long does Rice Noodle Laksa keep?

Refrigerate it up to four days, or freeze it in portions for up to three months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock to loosen it.

Can I halve or double Rice Noodle Laksa?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,504 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Malaysian entries

All Malaysian recipes · All Soup recipes · All Rice Noodles recipes