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I've tried a couple of recipes to make Chicken Laksa but I cant get it to taste like this Malaysian restaurant (To's in North Sydney).

I've had the best luck with this recipe from Taste.

Is it just Red Chilli and Shallots I'm missing, or am I doing it wrong using laksa paste (Tean's Gourmet Malaysian Curry Laksa Paste)?

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  • Hi Jeremy, welcome to Seasoned Advice. Please note our policy against recipe requests in our FAQ. We do allow questions about recreating restaurant recipes, but in order to get a useful answer you should be more specific about how your recipe is coming out differently from the restaurant you prefer.
    – Aaronut
    Nov 27, 2011 at 3:57
  • Did you ever speak to them about their laska Jeremy? Or find a recipe that tasted similar?
    – user20877
    Oct 22, 2013 at 17:04

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For a start, any Asian dish will be effected if the chicken stock is not good. Make quality chicken stock from whole chicken carcases, and take your time with it

In the case of Laksa, the key flavours are mostly in the Laksa paste (shrimp paste and lemon grass). If you don't have an equivalent of the one used at To's you will have an entirely different dish. A lot of effort can go into a Laksa paste (or for that matter curry pastes in general), in terms of exact ingredient ratios, roasting times etc, quality and freshness of ingredients etc

Laksa is often made with prawn stock, not chicken stock. Save the prawn heads and other fish bits, and boil them up for a very stinky prawn stock

Don't overdo the coconut milk/cream. Stick to one brand, and start with a lot less and see how it goes, if it is lacking, add more. Record what the magic amount for your favourite brand is

Getting quality and fresh ingredients for Asian dishes is often a major stumbling block for truly authentic tastes. Making your own decent Laksa paste is near impossible outside of Asia. Western grown lemon grass, tastes like, well grass!

When you're next at To's have a peek in the kitchen, ask if you have too. And check what they use for Laksa paste. If it's out of a branded jar you're in luck, if it's homemade, it's back to the grindstone, literally

The recipe linked, does not seem like a very good Laksa recipe to me. Also a good Laksa is topped with chilli oil. This is an import part. It consists of a lot of chilli and a little garlic cocked in a cup of oil. Float a couple of spoons of this on each bowl as you serve it

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  • this was the exact answer I was looking for. I'm a beginner home cook but am such a good customer of To's and if I play my cards right I think I'll be able to ask for their Laksa paste. If the paste is a recipe then I'll pay them for it. One time I did see a guy (another good customer) only order just their laksa liquid:)
    – Jeremy Thompson
    Nov 27, 2011 at 8:33

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