Chilli
|
Galangal |
It
wasn't until the 1500's that South Asia was introduced
to the chilli via trade with the plants native home
South and Central America. And embrace it they did So
much so that India is now the biggest producer of chilli
in the world.
Need big fresh banana chilli's just to get that rich
toxic red look happening, little fiery red ones can
be added for taste later.
Chilli (Capsicum annuum) belong to the Solanaceae family
along with tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants.
I cannot find Chilli
- using chilli from a jar although not ideal still will
have decent results
|
Galangal
also known as blue ginger or Thai Ginger, is a member
of the ginger family and in many countries, is used
as a substitute. It has a slightly more intense and
flowery flavour than than ginger and appears in dishes
from Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and especially in Thailand
I cannot find Galangal
- try ginger instead |
Lemongrass
|
Garlic |
| Lemon grass is a native
of India, it is used widely in both Thai and Vietnamese
cooking. The fresh stalks and leaves have a lemon like
odour, that is shared with lemon peel.
Usually chopped into large pieces so that it can be
removed from the dish before being served however for
the laksa its going to be put into the paste never to
be removed.
I cannot find fresh Lemongrass
- try lemon zest instead
(1 lemon = 2 stalks lemon grass)
|
Probably the worlds best known and most widely used
herb this is found in just about every cultures recipes
at some stage either standing out by itself or hidden
away amongst other flavour's. Add to that its apparently
healthy for us as well, and don't forget its must
have item to keep vampires at bay, its no wonder that
it is so popular.
I cannot find fresh Garlic
- TRY AGAIN its out there
|
| Turmeric |
Vietnamese mint
leaves |
Turmeric
a native of South East Asia, for 4000yrs its been used
as dye and a condiment. Still used in some religions
from rituals to the dyeing of holy robes.
When its used in the making of curry powders, it is
more often than not the main ingredient, giving the
curry the yellow colour, Also used as a mask for fish
odours it has many and varied uses.
I cannot find fresh Turmeric
- ground turmeric |
This herb is such an
important part of the laksa, that it is also known as
daun laksa (laksa leaf). It does not however belong
to the mint family as the
name suggests but is more closely related to buckwheat
and rhubarb plants.
It has a strong, minty, peppery flavor used in
mainly salads and soups .
I cannot find fresh Vietnamese mint -
use a mix of coriander + mint |
| Candlenuts |
Asian Shallots |
Candlenuts
must be cooked before eating, since they're highly toxic
when raw, or you can buy the pre-roasted ones which
takes just one more step out of the process. Look for
them in Asian markets. They get their name form the
fact that they contain so much oil you can string them
together and use them as candles
I cannot find Candlenuts
-try macadamia nuts |
Not quite an
onion and not really garlic, that's where you find the
shallot. The shallot looks rather like a small, elongated
onion with copper, reddish, or gray skin. Once you peel
it, it divides into cloves like garlic, rather than
one bulb with concentric layers like an onion.
I cannot find
Asian Shallots - try red onion
|
| Shrimp Paste |
Coconut Milk |
This smelly
and quite repulsive concoction is made from fermented
shrimp. And by itself it can be very overpowering, however
this is the secret to many a good thai curry and sauces
I cannot find Shrimp paste - Anchovy paste
|
Coconut
milk is the sweet, milky white cooking base extracted
from the meat of a ripe coconut, its not to be confused
with coconut water which is the liquid found inside
the coconut.
Luckily we can find it in convenient to open cans in
the supermarket.
I cannot find Coconut
milk - try one cup milk plus
¼ teaspoon coconut extract
|
| Chicken Stock |
Noodles |
Used universally
as a base to soups, casseroles and many many other things.
This can be picked up from supermarkets in powdered
or liquid form. Or if feeling adventurous try making
your own .
I cannot find Chicken stock - try making
your own |
This comes
down to your own personal choice, seeing as there so
many different types of noodles to choose from, i personally
go for a wheat noodle something like the Hokkien, or
Chow Mien. But rice noodles work just as well.
I cannot find fresh noodles - try uncooked
dry noodles.
|
If you have a Laksa Recipe
you'd like to share, please send
it to us
or leave it on the forum
|
