Laksa Johor Recipe: Home Style Ingredients, Steps and Tips

Laksa Johor stands apart from other laksa because it uses spaghetti instead of rice noodles. Families in Johor often serve it on the morning of Hari Raya, at kenduri and at family gatherings. So this guide shares a home-style laksa johor recipe that is easy to follow, along with tips and variations.

According to Malaysia’s National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN), the dish is linked to Sultan Abu Bakar, who grew fond of spaghetti after a trip to Europe, including Italy, in 1885. He then asked the palace cooks to combine spaghetti with a local dish.

Ingredients for this laksa johor recipe

The amounts below serve about 6 people. Adjust them to suit your family.

For the gravy

• Wolf herring (ikan parang) or mackerel, 1 kg, boiled and deboned
• Thick coconut milk from 2 coconuts, about 800 ml
• Kerisik (toasted grated coconut), 4 tablespoons
• Fish curry powder, 4 tablespoons, mixed with a little water
• Asam keping (dried tamarind slices), 3 to 4 pieces
• Daun kesum (Vietnamese coriander), a handful
• Fish stock from boiling the fish, about 1.5 litres
• Salt and sugar to taste
• Cooking oil, 1/2 cup for frying the paste

Spice paste (blend together)

• Shallots, 10
• Garlic, 4 cloves
• Ginger, 3 cm
• Galangal, 3 cm
• Fresh turmeric, 2 cm
• Lemongrass, 3 stalks
• Dried chillies, 15, soaked in hot water

Spaghetti and toppings

• Spaghetti, 500 g
• Cucumber, finely shredded
• Bean sprouts, briefly blanched
• Big onion, sliced
• Daun kesum and bunga kantan (torch ginger flower), finely sliced
• Calamansi lime, halved
• Sambal belacan on the side

How to cook this laksa johor recipe step by step

1. Boil the fish with a little salt for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the stock.
2. Separate the flesh from the bones, then blend or pound the flesh until fine.
3. Heat the oil and fry the blended paste over medium heat until fragrant and the oil separates, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the fish curry paste. Stir for another 5 minutes so the spices cook through and lose their raw smell.
5. Pour in the fish stock and the blended fish. Bring to a gentle boil.
6. After that, add the coconut milk, kerisik, asam keping and daun kesum.
7. Simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir now and then so the coconut milk does not split.
8. Taste, then season with salt and sugar. A good gravy is thick, rich and slightly sour.
9. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted water following the packet instructions. Drain and toss with a little oil.

How to serve it

Place the spaghetti on a plate or in a bowl, then ladle the gravy over it. Next, scatter cucumber, bean sprouts, onion, daun kesum and bunga kantan on top. Finally, serve with calamansi lime and sambal belacan on the side.

Some families like to add a boiled egg. Others still eat it by hand, a tradition that lives on in some Johor homes.

Prepare a day ahead

For a big gathering, cook the gravy the day before. Cool it quickly, store it in a covered container in the fridge, and then bring it back to a boil the next morning. In addition, slice the cucumber, onion and herbs on the same morning so they stay fresh. Cook the spaghetti last, about an hour before guests arrive.

Tips for a better laksa johor recipe

• Fry the spice paste until it is properly cooked. This step shapes the flavour more than any other.
• Use fresh fish. Wolf herring gives a sweeter taste, while mackerel is easier to find.
• Do not overcook the spaghetti, because the hot gravy will soften it further.
• Store the gravy and spaghetti separately so the texture holds up.
• Many cooks find the gravy tastes better the next day, since the spices have settled.

For leftover gravy, USDA FSIS advises refrigerating cooked food within 2 hours and finishing it within 3 to 4 days.

Variations on the laksa johor recipe

Use canned sardines

If you cannot get fresh fish, canned sardines work as a substitute. First remove the tomato sauce and bones. The taste changes a little, but it still makes a good weekday meal.

Add prawns

Some cooks blend prawns with the fish for a sweeter taste, and the gravy also smells richer. For a different profile with lemongrass and lime leaves, try our Thai laksa recipe instead.

A milder version

Cut the dried chillies by half if young children will eat it. Then put sambal belacan on the side for adults who want more heat.

When you have no time to cook

This laksa johor recipe takes time and effort, so many people only cook it on special days. On ordinary days, however, there is a faster way to enjoy a similar taste.

MakanHubb makes Laksa Johor in a retort pack, with a fish and prawn based laksa gravy and spaghetti in one pack. It needs no fridge and keeps for 1 to 2 years before opening. Simply soak the pouch in hot water for a few minutes, then add cucumber and onion if you have them. Prices start from RM12.90 a pack.

For pantry ideas, also read our guides on ready to eat food and long lasting food.

FAQ about the laksa johor recipe