Laksa Yong Tao Foo

Description
This dish is typical of Singapore cuisine, a Chinese adaptation of Malay Curry, and a further combination with yet another Hakka Chinese dish Yong Tao Foo(stuffed tofu). In the world of Singapore food, this dish is a celebrity! Laksa on it's own, without the Yong Tao Foo, is gaining international fame. It's found its way in nearly every Southeast Asian cookbook together with that non existant Singapore fried noodle. Believe me, I've even come across a vegetarian laksa in a so called fusion cookbook. Laksa without fish sauce and dried shrimp in the soup .. hm ... no thanks!

Some like it with raw cockles, others with shredded chicken yet others prefer shrimp. Whatever ingredients you choose to top your laksa, the secret of a great bowl of Laksa lies in the soup, and that very special herb we called Laksa Leaf. That's not all, we even name the thick rice noodle Laksa Noodles, such is the fame of this very special and much loved Singaporean dish.

Different types of laksa can be found both in Indonesia and Malaysia, they differ in taste and ingredients. Penang's Asam Laksa is distinct and different from the rest, strange that it should be called Laksa at all. It is fishy, sour and fresh, a result of shrimp paste, tamarind and various fresh herbs used. Nonya Laksa is rich with coconut milk and contains bean sprouts, prawns, finely sliced fishcake, grated cucumber and finely shredded laksa leaf and ginger bud.

Singapore's hawker laksa comes usually with cockles, optional these days since the Hepatities scare a decade or so ago that nearly wipe out all cockle sellers! Other ingredients include shredded skinless chicken, beansprouts, deep fried bean curd and laksa leaves in a rich coconut based soup. And those die hard chillie fan, a big spoon of chillie sauce mixed in.



Ingredients

 * dried shrimps
 * lemon grass - bruised
 * laos - bruised
 * tomatoes
 * fish sauce
 * fried bean curd (tao pok) - quartered up
 * laksa leaves - absolutely crucial
 * fish balls (or sliced boiled chicken)
 * cockles - fresh
 * stock
 * salt
 * prawns
 * coconut milk
 * thick rice noodle (spaghetti noodle is a great replacement)

Directions
Boil shrimp and devein, shell and set aside. (boil chicken, remove bones, skin and slice into desired size) soak rice noodle in hot water. boil briefly if necessary. Fry rempah in oil, add dried shrimp and fry till fragrant. add stock, lemon grass, laos and bring to boil. Add tao pok, fish balls, coconut milk and cook.. Season with salt and fish sauce. Add tomatoes, cook a further few minutes and the sauce it's ready.

Briefly cook cockles in the sauce before serving. Put noodles in bowl, add sauce together with tao pok, fish balls/chicken and chopped laksa leaves and serve