Vegetarian Asian Laksa Soup

Laksa is a noodle soup popular in Southeast Asia.
We invite you to try the vegetarian version of this soup!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 piece of ginger (about 2 cm long), minced
2 red chili peppers (optional), minced
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 lemongrass stalks
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon miso paste or soy sauce
1 can (400 g) unsweetened coconut milk (use full-fat milk if you want a creamier soup)
700 ml vegetable stock

Recommended toppings:
100 g SHIITAKE mushrooms
340 g tofu (squeeze out excess liquid) or tempeh
1 tablespoon cornstarch
a handful of bok choy / pak choi salad
your choice of noodles (rice noodles, egg noodles, etc.)

Directions:

1. Prepare the broth: Heat a little sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and chili pepper (optional) and cook until the onion is softened.
2. Add the curry paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemongrass stalks, and miso paste to the pot. Stir well. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add the bok choy (last 5 minutes).
Optional: If you want a smoother broth, you can puree the (cooled) soup in a blender, then pour it back into the pot and add the bok choy.
4. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
5. In a separate pan, fry the SHIITAKE mushrooms until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
6. In a bowl or plate, mix the cornstarch with the salt. Coat each piece of tofu thoroughly with the cornstarch mixture.
7. Heat a little oil over medium heat. Fry the tofu pieces coated in the starch mixture for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Set aside.
8. Divide the cooked noodles and fried mushrooms into serving bowls. Pour the laksa soup over the noodles. Top with the crispy fried tofu pieces.
9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves or sliced ​​red chilies. Squeeze a little lime juice over the top.
Yield: 2 servings
Recipe: wholefoodsoulfoodkitchen.com