Assam Laksa

Ingredients:

600g flaked mackerels
4 litres water
50g tamarind, strained
3-4 stalks polygonum (daun kesom)
salt and sugar to taste

Image by avlxyz via Flickr

Paste-grind together:
2 stalks lemon grass
10 dried chillies
10 fresh chillies
2 cm galangal
1 cm piece fresh turmeric
30 shallots
1 tbsp shrimp paste

Garnishing:
1 cucumber,shredded
1/4 pineapple,shredded
1 onion,sliced
2 red chillies,sliced
mint leaves
1 ginger bud,finely sliced



Method:

Mix water with tamarind and strain.

Bring tamarind water to the boil. Put in the paste and polygonum (daun kesom). Add salt and sugar to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Put in flaked fish, stir well and remove from fire.

Serve the stock with laksa noodles and garnish with shredded cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, big onions and chillies. Add a few mint leaves and sprinkle some finely sliced ginger buds.