Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in the Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup; either based on rich and spicy curry coconut milk, or based on sour asam
On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the five-spice
6 large chicken thighs, 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin
Place on the hot griddle pan, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through
Pour about 800ml of boiling water into the large pan and crumble in the stock cube,
Trim the stalk off the squash, roughly chop the neck end (don't peel, and keep the seed end for another day), then grate and tip into the boiling stock
1 large butternut squash
Swap to the bowl blade in the processor and add the peeled garlic and ginger, the chilli, turmeric, trimmed spring onions, peanut butter, dried lime leaves, coriander stalks (reserving the leaves), sesame oil, soy and fish sauces
1 large red chilli, 2 cloves garlic, 1 piece ginger, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 bunch spring onions, 1 tsp peanut butter, 4 leaves kaffir lime leaves, 1/2 bunch coriander, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil
Blitz to a paste, then tip into the stock and add the noodles. Trim the asparagus and cut in half
300 g rice noodles, 2 bunches asparagus, 1 cube chicken
Add to the pan, pour in the coconut milk, and as soon as it boils, taste, correct the seasoning with soy sauce and lime juice, then turn the heat off
1 tbsp light soy sauce, 400 g light coconut milk, 3 large limes
Drizzle the honey over the charred chicken, squeeze over the juice of 1 lime, scatter with the sesame seeds and toss to coat
1 tbsp runny honey, 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Serve with the laksa and lime wedges, sprinkling everything with the coriander leaves and slices of fresh chilli