Chicken laksa bowl recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable or groundnut (peanut) oil
• a bunch of spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced
• 9 oz (250 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp peeled and finely diced fresh root ginger
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and tender part diced
• 1 litre (1¾ pints/4¼ cups) hot chicken stock
• 7 fl oz/generous ¾ cup (200 ml) canned reduced-fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
• 14 oz (400 g) cooked skinned chicken breasts, sliced
• 4 oz/1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts
• 5 oz (150 g) rice noodles (dry weight)
• 1 lime juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a few sprigs of Thai basil or coriander (cilantro), chopped, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan (skillet) or wok set over a medium–high heat, add the spring onions (scallions), mushrooms, garlic, ginger, chilli and lemongrass and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Add the hot stock, coconut milk and nam pla. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken and simmer gently for 5 more minutes until everything is hot.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the packet instructions and drain well.
3. Stir the bean sprouts and rice noodles into the laksa and season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat through gently for 2–3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, then stir in the lime juice.
4. Ladle the laksa into shallow serving bowls and serve sprinkled with chopped basil or coriander (cilantro).