Chicken Laksa

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp chili paste
• 4 clove garlic
• 3 stalks lemongrass (sliced)
• 1 cm galangal (from the ginger family)
• 8 candlenuts
• 1 cm fresh turmeric
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp shrimp paste (belacan)
• 2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
• 1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded or
• 8 large prawns peeled, de-veined and cooked for a very short time
• Additional extras (optional): fish balls, tofu, mint, chopped chili, bean sprouts, rice noodles (vermicelli) or hokkien noodles all make excellent additions.