Recipe

Laksa Boullabaisse

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Photo by edamame2003

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Citrus Recipe
Chef
edamame2003's Notes: I've made curry fish stew and mussels in curry sauce, but it always turned out heavier than I would have preferred. A friend took me to a noodle house and it was there that I tasted a laksa...
I've made curry fish stew and mussels in curry sauce, but it always turned out heavier than I would have preferred. A friend took me to a noodle house and it was there that I tasted a laksa for the first time. The best way I can describe it is curry light. It wasn't as heavy handed with the hot spices, but abundant in aromatics. The consistency of a light soup, and a zing of citrus that added brightness rather than heat to the curry. Its my favorite sauce preparation for mussels.

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Serves 4

The Laksa Paste (can be made ahead of time):

1 inch piece galangal or ginger Ask a question about this ingredient

2 lemongrass stalks, cut into rounds Ask a question about this ingredient

1 kaffir lime zest (or key lime) Ask a question about this ingredient

4 kaffir lime leaves (or bay leaves) Ask a question about this ingredient

2 dry guajillo or ancho chili peppers Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup shallot Ask a question about this ingredient

2 cloves garlic Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 teaspoon coriander Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon turmeric Ask a question about this ingredient

pinches saffron (optional) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup water Ask a question about this ingredient

Place the dry chilis and saffron in hot water and allow to soften/steep. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
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The Boullabaisse:

2 lime juice Ask a question about this ingredient

1 mandarin orange juice (3 calamansi can be substituted for the lime/orange) Ask a question about this ingredient

4 cups fish stock (or water) Ask a question about this ingredient

13.5 ounces can of coconut milk Ask a question about this ingredient

fish sauce (or salt) to taste Ask a question about this ingredient

palm sugar (or sugar) to taste Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup chopped tomato Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 pound firm fleshed fish (I used uku) Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pound mussels Ask a question about this ingredient

12 ounces noodles (ramen, rice, soba all work) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/3 cup laksa curry paste Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon grape seed oil Ask a question about this ingredient

cilantro for garnish Ask a question about this ingredient

sriracha, sambal olek, or fresh serrano for added spice Ask a question about this ingredient

Place a Tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot and heat the laksa paste to release the fragrance. Heat for about 3-5 minutes, but do not brown.
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Add the fish stock or water and bring to a simmer.
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Add the tomato and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until tomatoes soften.
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Add coconut milk.
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Add cubed fish and mussels and cover to let mussels open.
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Add citrus juice, fish sauce and sugar to taste.
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In a separate pot, boil water and quick boil the noodles al dente.
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Serve the laksa boullabaisse over noodles with cilantro garnish and optional sriracha, sambal oelek or fresh serrano peppers for spicier flavor.
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12 Comments on Laksa Boullabaisse

healthierkitchen added 4 months ago

This sounds so terrific! Saved.

edamame2003 added 4 months ago

thank you! hope you have a chance to try it!

gingerroot added 4 months ago

Eda, I could eat this every night! So delicious and surprisingly light. Did not use mussels this time around (have to work on the kiddos) but it was wonderful with local hebi. I've been starting to feel under the weather and this was a perfect panacea. Thanks for the recipe.

edamame2003 added 4 months ago

thanks jenny! I am so glad you tried it...and liked it! means a lot. so many of your recipes are in my rotation--glad to make it into yours!

fiveandspice added 4 months ago

This sounds wonderful! Everything about it is just awesome.

edamame2003 added 4 months ago

thank you!

ChefJune added 4 months ago

Sounds interesting and delicious, but why would you call it "Bouillabaisse?" It seems to me like a Southeast Asian Mussel Soup with Noodles. No resemblance to Bouillabaisse.

edamame2003 added 4 months ago

hi chef! thanks for the comment--why did i name it boullaibaisse? when i think of boullabaisse (and when I've had it), I taste fresh seafood in an aromatic sauce. And I like the way it sounds...more exotic than mussel soup with noodles. I also prefaced it with 'laksa' so you know this is my interpretation. and i am sure I didn't prepare the laksa as it would be typically done either. thats why its my recipe, i guess. I hope you try it. I'd love to hear your opinion.

Midge added 4 months ago

This sounds amazing. Saved!

edamame2003 added 4 months ago

thanks midge! i hope you make it soon and let me know how it turns out!

edamame2003 added 4 months ago

thanks so much--we had it for dinner last night. It's usually too spicy for my son to eat, but this recipe had all the flavor for him and I could just add my own heat.