Laksa, Sea Bass & Prawn Balls
Anisha created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. This Fix-It reconstruction protects the broth guest critic William Sitwell called gorgeous, with its building spice and heat, alongside the tofu puffs and chilli oil Grace Dent praised and the crisp kaffir lime leaves Anna Haugh admired. The sea bass is seared to Grace Dent’s “just cooked,” while the two faulted elements — the noodles and the prawn balls — are corrected for a lighter, cleaner bowl.
- Time: 105 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- FOR THE LAKSA PASTE
- Dried shrimp – 2 tbsp , soaked 10 minutes in warm water
- Dried red chillies – 6–8, soaked in hot water, deseeded for less heat
- Shallots – 5 medium, peeled and roughly chopped
- Garlic – 4 cloves
- Lemongrass – 2 stalks, white part only, sliced
- Fresh galangal – 1 thumb , peeled and sliced
- Candlenuts or macadamias – 4, lightly toasted
- Ground turmeric – 1 tsp
- Ground coriander – 1 tbsp, plus a handful of fresh coriander stalks
- Shrimp paste – 1 tsp , toasted
- Neutral oil – 3 tbsp
- FOR THE LAKSA BROTH
- Coconut milk – 1 1/2 cups , full-fat
- Fish or chicken stock – 4 cups
- Kaffir lime leaves – 4, lightly bruised, whole
- Palm sugar – 1 tbsp , or light brown sugar
- Fish sauce – 2–3 tbsp , to taste
- Lime juice – from 1 lime, added off the heat to taste
- FOR THE RICE NOODLES
- Dried rice stick noodles – 9 oz , vermicelli or medium rice sticks
- Neutral oil – 1 tsp , to toss after shocking
- FOR THE PRAWN BALLS
- Raw peeled prawns – 9 oz , patted very dry
- Fine salt – 1/2 tsp
- White pepper – 1 pinch
- Sesame oil – 1 tsp
- Cornflour – 2 tsp
- Egg white – 1 large, whisked to a soft foam
- Spring onion – 1, finely minced
- FOR THE TOFU PUFFS
- Ready-made tofu puffs – 8
- FOR THE SEA BASS & CRISPY LIME LEAVES
- Kaffir lime leaves – 8, whole, for frying crisp
- Sea bass fillets – 4, skin on, pin-boned, scored
- Salt and neutral oil – to taste, for searing
- FOR THE CHILLI OIL & GARNISH
- Dried chilli flakes – 2 tbsp
- Neutral oil – 1/2 cup
- Garlic and ginger – 1 clove / 1 tsp , optional aromatics