Instructions: To make the Laksa Paste: In a food processor, combine lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, galangal, ginger, candlenuts, onion, chiles, shrimp paste, and 1/2 cup water. Process to form a smooth paste. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add paste mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and aromatic, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and add palm sugar, stirring to dissolve. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. (Makes 1 3/4 cups)

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock and coconut milk to a boil. Stir in laksa paste, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Pass mixture through a chinois or a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Transfer to a second saucepan, and keep warm over medium-low heat. Add bean curd, and cook for 3 minutes.

Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp, and sear on both sides until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove, and set aside.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil; add salt. Add noodles, and heat through. Drain, and divide among four large soup bowls. Pour soup over noodles, and top with bean sprouts, shrimp, and herb leaves. Serve immediately.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Comments: Laksa is a Malaysian seafood noodle soup thats one of the most satisfying one-dish meals in all of Asia.

Lemongrass is a perennial grass thats commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. It is valued for the lemony flavor the stalks release when they are crushed and chopped.

Turmeric is a spice with a pungent flavor and vivid yellow color. In the West it is usually sold as a powder, but if purchased fresh as a rhizome, it can be prepared in a way similar to ginger.

Galangal is a rhizome that looks like a pinkish ginger root and is used to add a slightly hot, bitter flavor.

Candlenuts have a thick, hard shell and are similar in appearance to macadamia nuts; the kernels are crushed in small quantities to bind and enrich sauces in curries and braised dishes. Candlenuts cannot be eaten raw because they contain toxins that evaporate during heating, making them perfectly harmless when cooked.

Shrimp paste is creamy, dark, and very salty; its sold in hard blocks or in slices that are individually packaged and have been roasted or fried. They are available at Indian and Asian markets

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.