Asam Laksa | Food Stuff

Ingredients

• ¾ inch cube belacan (shrimp paste), toasted
• 1 small cucumber, julienned
• 7 dried chilies, seeded, soaked in warm water, and drained
• 2 torch ginger (bunga kantan), thinly sliced, optional
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bottom third only, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 3 (20 oz/567g) chubb or yellowtail mackerel (ikan kembung), gutted and scaled
• 6 stalks mint leaves, stem removed
• ½ pineapple, julienned
• 2 red chilies, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 3 red chilies, seeded, and cut into pieces
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 packets (30 oz/950g) fresh thick rice noodles or 10 oz (283g) dried coarse vermicelli***
• 2 tsp salt
• 10 shallots, peeled, and cut into quarters
• 4 tbsp sweet shrimp paste (hei ko)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 inch knob fresh turmeric, peeled
• 3 slices asam gelugor (dried tamarind skin)
• ¼ cup (60g) asam jawa (tamarind paste)**
• 12 to 15 stalks polygonum (daun kesom/Vietnamese coriander or mint)