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Laksa Betawi – Noodle Soup with Coconut and Shrimp
Laksa Betawi is the noodle soup of the Betawi people of Jakarta: rice vermicelli in a yellow coconut broth seasoned with dried shrimp, candlenuts and turmeric. Shrimp, egg and fresh lemon basil go on top. Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for 10 minutes before blending, and they chop up finely. Mie celor from Palembang uses thick egg noodles and no turmeric.
Laksa Betawi – Noodle Soup with Coconut and Shrimp
Laura Chen
4
20 minutes
35 minutes
560
Indonesian
Main course
Laksa Betawi is the noodle soup of the Betawi people of Jakarta: rice vermicelli in a yellow coconut broth seasoned with dried shrimp, candlenuts and turmeric. Shrimp, egg and fresh lemon basil go on top. Mie celor from Palembang, by contrast, uses thick egg noodles and a creamy shrimp sauce without turmeric.
Ingredients
For the spice paste:
- 6 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 kemiri (candlenuts, from an Asian grocery store)
- 2 tbsp ebi (dried shrimp), soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 3 cm fresh turmeric or 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 cm ginger
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the soup:
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 3 cm galangal (Thai ginger), sliced
- 3 Indonesian bay leaves (salam leaves)
- 3 makrut lime leaves
- 1 l chicken broth
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 300 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
For serving:
- 200 g rice vermicelli (bihun)
- 150 g mung bean sprouts
- 2 eggs, hard-boiled and quartered
- 20 g kemangi (lemon basil)
- 2 tbsp fried shallots
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Sambal oelek, as desired
Instructions
- Blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, drained ebi, coriander seeds, turmeric and ginger with 3 tbsp broth into a smooth paste.
- Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the paste with the lemongrass, galangal, Indonesian bay leaves and lime leaves over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until it shines yellow and the oil separates out.
- Pour in the broth, season with salt and sugar, and simmer the soup uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk and heat the soup until it barely simmers at the edges. Do not let it boil hard, or the coconut milk will split.
- Add the shrimp and let them poach for 3 to 4 minutes, until pink and just firm.
- Pour boiling water over the rice vermicelli in a bowl and let them sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Drain them and blanch the sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Divide the noodles and sprouts among 4 bowls and ladle the soup and shrimp over them. Top with egg quarters and kemangi, sprinkle with fried shallots, and serve with lime and sambal.
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