Curry laksa is a coconut-based noodle soup layered with aromatics, chiles and warm spices. The broth is rich and creamy with a bright red color from the spice paste, and it coats the noodles with a deep savory flavor.
Unlike the sour fish broth in assam laksa, curry laksa relies on coconut milk, curry paste and shrimp for a rounder, fuller taste. Rice noodles, tofu puffs and herbs soak up the broth, turning every spoonful into a mix of noodles and seafood as well as the delicious soup broth.
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About Malaysian Cuisine
This dish is part of Malaysia’s diverse culinary tradition, which blends Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan influences. If you’re exploring Malaysian cooking, see the full guide to traditional dishes here: Malaysian Recipes: Traditional Regional Dishes Explained.
What This Dish Is
Curry laksa, or kari laksa, is a Southeast Asian noodle soup associated with Malaysia and Singapore. It combines Chinese-style noodles with a Malay-influenced coconut curry broth and typically includes shrimp, tofu puffs and fresh herbs.
What It Tastes Like
Curry laksa is rich, savory and spicy and has a creamy coconut base. The broth carries notes of garlic, shrimp paste and warm spices.
You’ll like this if you enjoy ramen or Thai coconut curries, or if you want a change from tom kha gai soup and bok choy noodle soup. It’s also a good pick for anyone who likes noodle soups with bold flavor.
Key Ingredients
• Laksa paste: A chili-based spice paste made with garlic, lemongrass and shrimp paste. Asian grocery stores usually carry jarred versions. Red curry paste works in a pinch.
• Tofu puffs: Fried tofu cubes that soak up broth like little sponges. Look for them in Asian supermarkets near fresh tofu.
• Rice noodles: Thick rice vermicelli are traditional. Flat rice noodles can also work.
• Shrimp paste: Also known as belacan, this fermented shrimp that adds deep umami. Use sparingly if substituting.
• Coconut milk: Gives the broth its creamy texture and mild sweetness. I recommend you use full-fat coconut milk, not the watered down kind.
How to Make Curry Laksa
Step 1: Cook the noodles
Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse lightly to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Build the broth
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add laksa paste, garlic and shrimp paste. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth and coconut milk. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 3: Add proteins
Add shrimp, tofu puffs and chicken if using. Simmer until shrimp turn pink and tofu absorbs some broth. Assemble and serve. Divide noodles among bowls. Ladle hot broth and toppings over the noodles. Add bean sprouts and garnish with cilantro, lime and chiles.
Tips for Best Results
• Toast the laksa paste in oil before adding liquid so the spices bloom.
• Use full fat coconut milk for a richer broth.
• Add noodles to bowls instead of the pot so they don’t overcook.
Variations and Substitutions
If you can’t find laksa paste
Use red curry paste plus a small amount of shrimp paste in your laksa lemak soup. The flavor will be slightly different but still close.
If you want it less spicy
Use less paste or add extra coconut milk to mellow the broth.
If you want a different protein
Chicken, tofu or fish balls work well.
Make Ahead and Storage
• Make ahead: The broth can be made a day in advance.
• Fridge: Store broth separate from other ingredients for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: The broth freezes well for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stove and add fresh noodles before serving.
What to Serve With It
• Malaysian cucumber salad
• Sambal belacan
• Fried popiah
More Malaysian Recipes
Explore more regional dishes in the Malaysian recipes collection.
Penang assam laksa
Kari kapitan
Nasi kerabu
Nasi lemak
History of Malaysian Curry Laksa
Laksa developed in the port cities of Southeast Asia where Chinese migrants settled and adapted their cooking to local ingredients. The dish is most closely associated with the Peranakan, also called Nyonya, communities of Malaysia and Singapore.
These communities formed when Chinese traders settled in the Malay archipelago and married into local Malay families. Their cooking blended Chinese noodle traditions with Malay herbs, spices, fermented shrimp paste and coconut milk.
Laksa grew out of that fusion and gradually spread through street stalls and hawker markets.
Where the Name “Laksa” Comes From
The name “laksa” likely comes from the Persian word lakshah, which refers to noodles. Traders moving through the Indian Ocean brought noodle dishes and culinary ideas with them, and the term eventually entered local food culture.
By the nineteenth century, noodle soups called laksa were already appearing in coastal Malaysian towns, though the exact flavors varied widely depending on region and available ingredients.
Regional Styles of Laksa
Over time several distinct types of laksa emerged. Penang assam laksa developed into a sour fish broth with tamarind and herbs. Sarawak laksa in East Malaysia uses a darker spice paste and a different aromatic profile.
Curry laksa, sometimes called laksa lemak, took a different direction by building the soup around coconut milk and a chili-based spice paste.
How Curry Laksa Developed
Curry laksa became especially popular in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and parts of Johor. The broth combines coconut milk with a spice paste that typically includes dried chiles, garlic, lemongrass and shrimp paste.
Chinese-style noodles remain central to the dish, while toppings such as tofu puffs, shrimp and sometimes chicken reflect the multicultural influences behind it. Today curry laksa is one of the best known Malaysian noodle soups and a staple in hawker centers across the region.
Curry Laksa Recipe
Ingredients
- For the broth
- • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil• 3 tablespoons laksa paste• 3 cloves garlic, minced• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste• 4 cups (1 liter) chicken broth• 1½ cups (360 ml) coconut milk• 1 tablespoon fish sauce• 1 teaspoon sugar
- For the main dish
- • 8 ounces (225 g) rice noodles• 8 ounces (225 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined• 1 cup (about 150 g) tofu puffs, halved• 1 cup (140 g) shredded cooked chicken (optional)• 1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts
- Optional garnishes
- • Cilantro (fresh coriander)• Lime wedges• Sliced red chiles
Method
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions until just tender. Drain them and rinse briefly under warm water so they don’t stick together. Set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and minced garlic. Stir and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes so the paste fries in the oil and becomes fragrant. This step deepens the flavor of the broth.
- Stir in the shrimp paste and cook for another 30 seconds. Break it up with a spoon so it dissolves into the paste.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir well to loosen the paste from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until the broth is fully combined and smooth. Let it simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes so the flavors blend.
- Add the tofu puffs and shredded chicken if using. Simmer for a few minutes so the tofu absorbs some of the broth.
- Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and opaque, usually about 2 to 3 minutes. Avoid overcooking them so they stay tender.
- Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Add a little more fish sauce for saltiness or a small splash of coconut milk if you want a milder broth.
- Divide the cooked rice noodles between serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles along with shrimp, tofu and chicken.
- Top each bowl with bean sprouts, cilantro, sliced chiles and lime wedges. Serve immediately while the soup is hot so the noodles soak up the curry broth.
Notes
- A blender can help make a fresh spice paste if you're preparing one from scratch. Otherwise the recipe only needs a large soup pot.
