Welcome to Plan n Cook — plan meals, shop once, cook with less stress.

Home kitchen plans

Laksa Paste

Laksa Paste

Cuisine:Asian

Course:Sauce

30m prep 0s cook 30m ready

This laksa paste is a fragrant blend of dried shrimp, chiles, lemongrass, and spices. Use it as a base for laksa soup or other Southeast Asian dishes.

Ingredients

Servings:
  • 2 dried arbol chiles, stemmed
  • 4 teaspoons dried shrimp
  • ¼ cup tamarind juice concentrate
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 3 makrut lime leaves, middle vein removed and sliced thin crosswise
  • 2 tablespoons raw cashews, chopped
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed to bottom 6 inches, tough outer leaves discarded, halved lengthwise, and minced
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 (3-inch) piece galangal, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¾ teaspoon table salt

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 2 dried arbol chiles, stemmed
  • 4 teaspoons dried shrimp
  • ¼ cup tamarind juice concentrate
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 3 makrut lime leaves, middle vein removed and sliced thin crosswise
  • 2 tablespoons raw cashews, chopped
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed to bottom 6 inches, tough outer leaves discarded, halved lengthwise, and minced
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 (3-inch) piece galangal, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¾ teaspoon table salt

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Soak 

  2. Step 2.

    2 dried, stemmed arbol chiles

  3. Step 3.

     and 

  4. Step 4.

    4 teaspoons dried shrimp 

  5. Step 5.

    in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain well.

  6. Step 6.

    Process soaked arbols and dried shrimp;

  7. Step 7.

    ¼ cup tamarind juice concentrate

  8. Step 8.

    ; 

  9. Step 9.

    ½ onion, chopped

  10. Step 10.

    ; 

  11. Step 11.

    3 makrut lime leaves, middle vein removed and sliced thin crosswise

  12. Step 12.

    ; 

  13. Step 13.

    2 tablespoons chopped raw cashews

  14. Step 14.

    ; 

  15. Step 15.

    2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, halved, and minced

  16. Step 16.

    ; 

  17. Step 17.

    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  18. Step 18.

    ; 

  19. Step 19.

    2 tablespoons water

  20. Step 20.

    ; 

  21. Step 21.

    1 (3-inch) piece galangal, chopped

  22. Step 22.

    ; 

  23. Step 23.

    3 peeled garlic cloves

  24. Step 24.

    ; 

  25. Step 25.

    1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

  26. Step 26.

    ; 

  27. Step 27.

    1½ teaspoons ground coriander

  28. Step 28.

    ; 

  29. Step 29.

    1 teaspoon ground cumin

  30. Step 30.

    ; 

  31. Step 31.

    ¾ teaspoon paprika

  32. Step 32.

    ; 

  33. Step 33.

    ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

  34. Step 34.

    ; and 

  35. Step 35.

    ¾ teaspoon table salt

  36. Step 36.

    until mixture forms a mostly smooth paste, about 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed; set aside.

Ratings & reviews

Have you made this? Take a moment and let us know what you think. Sign in to leave a rating.

Get weekly meal ideas

Fresh recipes and planning tips from Plan n Cook.

Plan a week

Drop recipes onto breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day.

One grocery list

Ingredients combined and scaled to your household servings.

Cook from recipes

Browse the library and public kitchens when you need inspiration.

Keep your kitchen

Save favorites, pantry items, and meal plans in one place.