Method
- Make prawn stock: toast the prawn shells and heads in 2 tbsp oil for 3 minutes. Add 1.2L water; simmer 25 minutes. Strain.
- Blend soaked dried chilies, fresh chilies, shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, candlenuts, belacan and dried shrimp to a fine paste.
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy pot. Fry the spice paste for 8 minutes until fragrant and the oil starts to surface. The colour should be deep brick-red.
- Pour in prawn stock and coconut milk. Simmer 15 minutes to integrate. Add fish sauce and sugar. Taste — sweet, savoury, with a slow chili build and coconut richness.
- Cut the laksa noodles into 5cm spoonable lengths — Katong laksa is meant to be eaten with a spoon only, not chopsticks. Boil 3 minutes; drain.
- Add prawns to the broth; cook 90 seconds until pink. Add fishcake, tofu puffs and cockles for 60 seconds. Divide noodles into deep bowls; ladle broth and toppings over generously. Top each bowl with a generous sprinkle of laksa leaf chiffonade and a few raw bean sprouts. Serve with sambal at the table for diners who want extra heat.
Common questions
Can Katong Laksa be made ahead?
Katong Laksa is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 45 minutes.
Is Katong Laksa spicy?
Katong Laksa as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Katong Laksa vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe contains gluten via the soy sauce and/or noodles. To make it gluten-free, substitute tamari for soy sauce.
How hard is Katong Laksa to make at home?
Katong Laksa sits at intermediate difficulty — total time about 70 minutes. The ingredients are not unusual but the timing requires attention.
Can Katong Laksa be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Katong laksa is the East Coast Singapore variant of curry laksa — short noodles, eaten with only a spoon, and a thicker, sweeter broth than Malaysian curry mee. The Peranakan (Nyonya) heritage is strong: the spice paste is a Nyonya formula, and laksa leaf (daun kesum) is the marker. The dish was invented in the 1960s in the Katong neighbourhood of Singapore by Janggut Laksa, whose stall (run by an old man with a long beard, hence janggut) is still there as a chain. The 'spoon only' rule is the defining Katong twist.
