Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Laksa, Sea Bass & Prawn Balls
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
1 hour (plus chilling)
45 minutes
1 hour 45 minutes
Serves:
4 servings (4 laksa bowls)
Anisha created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. This Fix-It reconstruction protects the broth guest critic William Sitwell called gorgeous, with its building spice and heat, alongside the tofu puffs and chilli oil Grace Dent praised and the crisp kaffir lime leaves Anna Haugh admired. The se...
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Ingredients
FOR THE LAKSA PASTE:
Dried shrimp – 2 tbsp (15 g), soaked 10 minutes in warm water
Dried red chillies – 6–8, soaked in hot water, deseeded for less heat
Shallots – 5 medium, peeled and roughly chopped
Garlic – 4 cloves
Lemongrass – 2 stalks, white part only, sliced
Fresh galangal – 1 thumb (30 g), peeled and sliced
Candlenuts or macadamias – 4, lightly toasted
Ground turmeric – 1 tsp
Ground coriander – 1 tbsp, plus a handful of fresh coriander stalks
Shrimp paste (belacan) – 1 tsp (5 g), toasted
Neutral oil – 3 tbsp (45 ml)
FOR THE LAKSA BROTH:
Coconut milk – 1 1/2 cups (400 ml), full-fat
Fish or chicken stock – 4 cups (1 litre)
Kaffir (makrut) lime leaves – 4, lightly bruised, whole
Palm sugar – 1 tbsp (15 g), or light brown sugar
Fish sauce – 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml), to taste
Lime juice – from 1 lime, added off the heat to taste
FOR THE RICE NOODLES:
Dried rice stick noodles – 9 oz (250 g), vermicelli or medium rice sticks
Neutral oil – 1 tsp (5 ml), to toss after shocking
FOR THE PRAWN BALLS:
Raw peeled prawns – 9 oz (250 g), patted very dry
Fine salt – 1/2 tsp (3 g)
White pepper – 1 pinch
Sesame oil – 1 tsp (5 ml)
Cornflour (cornstarch) – 2 tsp (6 g)
Egg white – 1 large, whisked to a soft foam
Spring onion – 1, finely minced
FOR THE TOFU PUFFS:
Ready-made tofu puffs – 8 (or deep-fry firm tofu cubes until puffed)
FOR THE SEA BASS & CRISPY LIME LEAVES:
Kaffir (makrut) lime leaves – 8, whole, for frying crisp
Sea bass fillets – 4, skin on, pin-boned, scored
Salt and neutral oil – to taste, for searing
FOR THE CHILLI OIL & GARNISH:
Dried chilli flakes – 2 tbsp (12 g)
Neutral oil – 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Garlic and ginger – 1 clove / 1 tsp (5 g), optional aromatics
Beansprouts, coriander and lime – to serve
EQUIPMENT:
Blender or food processor
Large saucepan or pot
Non-stick or stainless frying pan
Deep pan or wok with a thermometer
Fine-mesh sieve and a bowl of iced water
Slotted spoon and small whisk
Method
STEP 1: MAKE THE LAKSA PASTE
Drain the soaked dried shrimp and chillies. Blend them with the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, candlenuts, turmeric, ground coriander, coriander stalks, shrimp paste and the oil to a smooth, fragrant paste, adding a splash of water if needed. Do not thin its flavour — this aromatic base is the heart of the dish.
STEP 2: BUILD THE BROTH
Fry the paste in a large pan over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until it splits, darkens and smells toasty. Stir in the coconut milk and stock, add the whole bruised lime leaves and the palm sugar, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 15–20 minutes for the flavours to marry, then season with fish sauce and, off the heat, lime juice to taste. Keep at a bare simmer while you finish everything else.
STEP 3: COOK THE RICE NOODLES
Cook the rice stick noodles in plenty of boiling water just until tender all the way through, with no firm, chalky core. Drain and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking, then drain again thoroughly. Toss with 1 tsp oil to keep the strands separate and hold them loose — do not let them sit in the broth.
STEP 4: MAKE THE LIGHTER PRAWN BALLS
Blitz the dry prawns to a smooth paste with the salt, white pepper, sesame oil and cornflour, keeping it brief so the paste stays tender. Whisk the egg white to a soft foam, then fold it through the prawn paste with the minced spring onion. Chill 20 minutes, shape into small walnut-sized balls with wet hands, and fry in oil at 340°F (170°C) for 3–4 minutes until golden and floating. Drain on paper.
STEP 5: WARM THE TOFU PUFFS
Slip the tofu puffs into the simmering broth for 4–5 minutes so they drink up the laksa. Lift them out and keep warm.
STEP 6: CRISP THE LIME LEAVES
In the same hot oil used for the prawn balls (about 340°F / 170°C), fry the whole kaffir lime leaves for 10–20 seconds until translucent and crisp. Drain on paper and keep shatter-crisp.
STEP 7: SEAR THE SEA BASS
Pat the fillets dry and season the skin. Sear skin-side down in a little hot oil, pressing gently, for 3–4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh has turned opaque most of the way up. Flip for just 15–20 seconds, then rest. Aim for barely set, still-juicy flesh.
STEP 8: MAKE THE CHILLI OIL
Put the chilli flakes (and optional garlic and ginger) in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil until shimmering, then pour it carefully over the flakes so they sizzle and bloom. Cool, and spoon on at the end.
STEP 9: ASSEMBLE AT THE LAST MOMENT
Working quickly, dip the held noodles into the hot broth for 20–30 seconds only to heat through, then lift into warm bowls. Ladle over the laksa, add the tofu puffs and prawn balls, rest a sea bass fillet on top, and crown with the crispy lime leaves. Finish with a drizzle of chilli oil, beansprouts, fresh coriander and a wedge of lime. Serve immediately.
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Instructions
FOR THE LAKSA PASTE:
Dried shrimp – 2 tbsp (15 g), soaked 10 minutes in warm water
Dried red chillies – 6–8, soaked in hot water, deseeded for less heat
Shallots – 5 medium, peeled and roughly chopped
Garlic – 4 cloves
Lemongrass – 2 stalks, white part only, sliced
Fresh galangal – 1 thumb (30 g), peeled and sliced
Candlenuts or macadamias – 4, lightly toasted
Ground turmeric – 1 tsp
Ground coriander – 1 tbsp, plus a handful of fresh coriander stalks
Shrimp paste (belacan) – 1 tsp (5 g), toasted
Neutral oil – 3 tbsp (45 ml)
FOR THE LAKSA BROTH:
Coconut milk – 1 1/2 cups (400 ml), full-fat
Fish or chicken stock – 4 cups (1 litre)
Kaffir (makrut) lime leaves – 4, lightly bruised, whole
Palm sugar – 1 tbsp (15 g), or light brown sugar
Fish sauce – 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml), to taste
Lime juice – from 1 lime, added off the heat to taste
FOR THE RICE NOODLES:
Dried rice stick noodles – 9 oz (250 g), vermicelli or medium rice sticks
Neutral oil – 1 tsp (5 ml), to toss after shocking
FOR THE PRAWN BALLS:
Raw peeled prawns – 9 oz (250 g), patted very dry
Fine salt – 1/2 tsp (3 g)
White pepper – 1 pinch
Sesame oil – 1 tsp (5 ml)
Cornflour (cornstarch) – 2 tsp (6 g)
Egg white – 1 large, whisked to a soft foam
Spring onion – 1, finely minced
FOR THE TOFU PUFFS:
Ready-made tofu puffs – 8 (or deep-fry firm tofu cubes until puffed)
FOR THE SEA BASS & CRISPY LIME LEAVES:
Kaffir (makrut) lime leaves – 8, whole, for frying crisp
Sea bass fillets – 4, skin on, pin-boned, scored
Salt and neutral oil – to taste, for searing
FOR THE CHILLI OIL & GARNISH:
Dried chilli flakes – 2 tbsp (12 g)
Neutral oil – 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Garlic and ginger – 1 clove / 1 tsp (5 g), optional aromatics
Beansprouts, coriander and lime – to serve
EQUIPMENT:
Blender or food processor
Large saucepan or pot
Non-stick or stainless frying pan
Deep pan or wok with a thermometer
Fine-mesh sieve and a bowl of iced water
Slotted spoon and small whisk
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MAKE THE LAKSA PASTE
Drain the soaked dried shrimp and chillies. Blend them with the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, candlenuts, turmeric, ground coriander, coriander stalks, shrimp paste and the oil to a smooth, fragrant paste, adding a splash of water if needed. Do not thin its flavour — this aromatic base is the heart of the dish.
STEP 2: BUILD THE BROTH
Fry the paste in a large pan over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until it splits, darkens and smells toasty. Stir in the coconut milk and stock, add the whole bruised lime leaves and the palm sugar, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 15–20 minutes for the flavours to marry, then season with fish sauce and, off the heat, lime juice to taste. Keep at a bare simmer while you finish everything else.
STEP 3: COOK THE RICE NOODLES
Cook the rice stick noodles in plenty of boiling water just until tender all the way through, with no firm, chalky core. Drain and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking, then drain again thoroughly. Toss with 1 tsp oil to keep the strands separate and hold them loose — do not let them sit in the broth.
STEP 4: MAKE THE LIGHTER PRAWN BALLS
Blitz the dry prawns to a smooth paste with the salt, white pepper, sesame oil and cornflour, keeping it brief so the paste stays tender. Whisk the egg white to a soft foam, then fold it through the prawn paste with the minced spring onion. Chill 20 minutes, shape into small walnut-sized balls with wet hands, and fry in oil at 340°F (170°C) for 3–4 minutes until golden and floating. Drain on paper.
STEP 5: WARM THE TOFU PUFFS
Slip the tofu puffs into the simmering broth for 4–5 minutes so they drink up the laksa. Lift them out and keep warm.
STEP 6: CRISP THE LIME LEAVES
In the same hot oil used for the prawn balls (about 340°F / 170°C), fry the whole kaffir lime leaves for 10–20 seconds until translucent and crisp. Drain on paper and keep shatter-crisp.
STEP 7: SEAR THE SEA BASS
Pat the fillets dry and season the skin. Sear skin-side down in a little hot oil, pressing gently, for 3–4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh has turned opaque most of the way up. Flip for just 15–20 seconds, then rest. Aim for barely set, still-juicy flesh.
STEP 8: MAKE THE CHILLI OIL
Put the chilli flakes (and optional garlic and ginger) in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil until shimmering, then pour it carefully over the flakes so they sizzle and bloom. Cool, and spoon on at the end.
STEP 9: ASSEMBLE AT THE LAST MOMENT
Working quickly, dip the held noodles into the hot broth for 20–30 seconds only to heat through, then lift into warm bowls. Ladle over the laksa, add the tofu puffs and prawn balls, rest a sea bass fillet on top, and crown with the crispy lime leaves. Finish with a drizzle of chilli oil, beansprouts, fresh coriander and a wedge of lime. Serve immediately.
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