Thai Laksa Recipe: Home Style Ingredients, Steps and Tips

Thai laksa is laksa with a gravy cooked in a Thai-style spice paste. The smell of lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves makes it feel close to tom yum, but it is thicker because of the flaked fish and coconut milk. So this guide shares a thai laksa recipe that is easy to cook at home, together with tips and variations.

Thai laksa is not the same as assam laksa

Many people mix up Thai laksa and Penang assam laksa. Assam laksa is more sour, usually has no coconut milk, and comes with prawn paste (petis udang). Thai laksa, on the other hand, uses a tom yum style paste and coconut milk, so the gravy is richer and more fragrant.

Thai laksa also differs from laksa Johor. According to JKKN, laksa Johor uses a fish gravy with curry spices, kerisik and spaghetti. If you want to try it, see our laksa Johor recipe.

Ingredients for this thai laksa recipe

As a guide, these amounts serve about 5 to 6 people. After that, adjust the chilli to suit your family.

For the gravy

• Fresh mackerel or sardines, 600 g, boiled and deboned
• Prawns, 300 g, peeled (keep the shells for stock if you like)
• Coconut milk, about 400 ml
• Fish stock from boiling the fish, about 1.2 litres
• Kaffir lime leaves, 6, torn
• Tamarind pulp, 1 tablespoon, mixed with water and strained
• Fish sauce, 1 tablespoon
• Sugar and salt to taste
• Cooking oil, 1/3 cup

Thai-style spice paste (blend together)

• Lemongrass, 4 stalks
• Galangal, 4 cm
• Shallots, 8
• Garlic, 4 cloves
• Dried chillies, 10, soaked in hot water
• Bird’s eye chillies, 5 (optional)
• Fresh turmeric, 2 cm
• Toasted belacan, 1 cm

Noodles and toppings

• Laksa noodles or spaghetti, 500 g
• Cucumber, finely shredded
• Thai basil or coriander leaves
• Big onion, sliced
• Lime wedges
• Sliced red chilli

How to cook this thai laksa recipe

1. Boil the fish for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the stock and separate the flesh.
2. Blend the fish flesh with a little stock until smooth.
3. Heat the oil and fry the spice paste over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and the oil separates.
4. Add the stock, blended fish and lime leaves. Bring to a boil.
5. Next, add the tamarind water and fish sauce.
6. Pour in the coconut milk and lower the heat. Stir gently so the coconut milk does not split.
7. After 10 minutes, add the prawns. Cook for only 3 to 4 minutes so they stay tender.
8. Taste and balance with sugar and salt. It should be sour, spicy, salty and a little sweet.
9. Meanwhile, cook the noodles or spaghetti following the packet instructions, then drain.

How to serve Thai laksa

Place the noodles in a bowl, then pour the hot gravy over them with a few prawns. Then top with cucumber, onion, red chilli and basil. Finally, squeeze some lime over it just before eating for a fresher taste.

Thai laksa also goes well with a boiled egg or keropok. If you have many guests, put the toppings on a separate plate so everyone can choose. This also helps those who cannot take much heat.

Tips for a fragrant thai laksa recipe

• Use only the white part of the lemongrass, because the green part is tough.
• Choose young galangal, since it blends easily and tastes less bitter.
• Add the lime leaves early so their scent goes into the gravy.
• Do not boil the coconut milk hard for too long.
• Add the tamarind a little at a time. It is easier to add more than to take it out.

For leftover gravy, USDA FSIS advises refrigerating cooked food within 2 hours and finishing it within 3 to 4 days. Also keep the gravy and noodles in separate containers.

Variations on the thai laksa recipe

A shortcut with tom yum paste

If you have no time to blend the spices, use a ready-made tom yum paste as the base. Fry the paste, then add the blended fish and coconut milk. It will not taste the same as your own paste, but it works for a weekday.

Use canned sardines

Similarly, canned sardines can replace fresh fish. First remove the sauce and bones, then mash the flesh before adding it to the gravy.

A version without coconut milk

For example, some people prefer a clear broth. In that case, leave out the coconut milk and add a little more tamarind. As a result, the gravy becomes lighter and closer to tom yum.

When you have no time to cook

Blending spices and boiling fish take time. On busy days, however, there is a faster option.

MakanHubb makes Spaghetti Laksa Thai in a retort pack. Each pack holds a fish and prawn based Thai laksa gravy with coconut milk and lemongrass, along with spaghetti. 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 or a squeeze of lime if you have them. Prices start from RM12.90 a pack.

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

FAQ about the thai laksa recipe