Lighter Malaysian laksa with coconut milk
Laksa is one of the most famous dishes of Malaysian and Peranakan cuisine: a noodle soup with coconut milk and curry paste, whose rich version is known as laksa lemak.
This is a lighter version that uses light coconut milk and plenty of vegetables, while keeping the shrimp, tofu puffs, and bean sprouts that define the dish.
Soak the thin rice noodles in hot water for five minutes until they soften, then drain them and set them aside. This is faster than boiling and keeps their texture.
In a wide pot, heat the oil and stir the curry paste over medium heat for two minutes until it is fragrant and its color turns slightly darker. Frying the paste before adding the liquid is what releases the laksa flavor.
Pour in the stock and the light coconut milk and stir well until the curry dissolves, and let the soup simmer gently for ten minutes over low heat. Do not let it boil hard so the coconut milk does not split.
Add the fried tofu puffs and the fish sauce and leave them for four minutes to absorb the soup, then add the shrimp and cook it for three minutes until it turns pink and opaque. Shrimp cooks quickly, so do not cook it long or it will toughen.
Turn off the heat and add the lime juice, taste, and adjust the salt with fish sauce as desired. The acidity at the end balances the richness of the coconut milk.
Divide the rice noodles and bean sprouts among the serving bowls, pour the hot soup with the shrimp and tofu over them, and garnish with cilantro and lime quarters. Serve hot immediately.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Lighter Malaysian Laksa with Coconut Milk, and how to fix them:
The boil was too hard. Cook the soup over low heat at a gentle simmer only after adding the coconut milk.
It was overcooked. Add it in the last three minutes only and take the pot off the heat as soon as it turns pink.
The curry paste was not fried enough. Fry it for two minutes in the oil until fragrant before adding the liquid, and add more fish sauce and lime juice at the end.
They were soaked too long or drained late. Soak them for five minutes only and drain them at once, and divide them into the bowls right before pouring the soup.
Serve hot right after preparing, as the noodles absorb the soup over time.
Keep the soup and noodles separate for two days, and combine them when reheating.
Not suitable for freezing, as the coconut milk and rice noodles change texture.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| The shrimp | Diced chicken breast | 1:1 | For anyone who does not eat shellfish, and it is cooked through completely |
| The light coconut milk | Full-fat coconut milk diluted with water | half and half | An alternative when light is not available |
| The rice noodles | Egg noodles | 1:1 | A common Malaysian flavor but it adds gluten and eggs |
| The fish sauce | Low-salt soy sauce | 1:1 | A vegetarian alternative that adds soy and gluten |
| Ingredient | 4 servings | 2 servings | 8 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | 400 g | 200 g | 800 g |
| Light coconut milk | 400 ml | 200 ml | 800 ml |
| Rice noodles | 200 g | 100 g | 400 g |
Choosing light coconut milk instead of full-fat reduces the saturated fat in the dish while keeping the flavor. And the shrimp must be cooked until it turns pink and opaque to make sure it is done per food-safety guidelines (internal temperature 63 degrees Celsius).
The EEINA app saves your favorite recipes, calculates them from their real ingredients, and shows your daily numbers toward your goal. Try it free now.
