Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup

Whenever I’m asked “what’s the one food you’d choose to have with you on a deserted island,”  my answer is always “some sort of Asian noodle soup.” Okay, so that’s cheating a bit, but this is an arbitrary question to begin with. 

Anywho, this Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup perfectly fits the bill. It’s a rich, curry-meets-noodle-soup hybrid that hits all the best notes: super savory, spicy, a little tart and sweet, rich and brothy, creamy but not heavy…are you getting the picture? 

And I’m extra delighted because I’ve been saving this recipe for YEARS. I first developed this recipe in early 2021 (seriously, it’s been years) but had to sit on it because I knew I wanted to include it in my second cookbook. 

Suffice to say, I am so thrilled that this book, Big Vegan Flavor, is nearly here! This recipe is part of the “wow-worthy dinners” chapter of the book, where you’ll find exciting, big flavor dinners from noodle soups to curries to stir fries and carby things. 

Bonus Content (limited time only!)

You still have a small window to preorder the cookbook before it officially drops on September 3! 

If you’re wondering why you should pre-order, there are two main reasons:

(1) I’ve created an incredible package of exclusive bonus content as a thank you for folks who preorder! You can read more about what’s inside the book and all the bonus goodies on this page. 

(2) Pre-orders are incredibly important for authors—they let bookshops, retailers, and even the press know that there’s a lot of excitement about a book. This, in turn, ensures that the book gets stocked on shelves and gets covered by the media. So pre-ordering Big Vegan Flavor is the best way to support my work 🥹

Table of Contents:
1. What is curry laksa?
2. Video: How to make this soup
3. Why you’ll love this recipe
4. Ingredient notes
5. Tips for making this recipe
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. Recipe card with notes

Video: How to make this noodle soup

I had so much fun making this recipe on my dear friend Sadia’s YouTube channel. Check it out!

the ultimate CURRY NOODLE SOUP (ft.@RainbowPlantLife)

What is curry laksa?

Malaysia is home to many varieties of laksas. Some of these spicy noodle soups are tart and brothy, while others are rich and have more of a creamy base. My version is inspired by the latter and is often called curry laksa, laksa lemak, or curry mee, depending on the region (variations of this dish are also popular in Singapore).

Curry laska is a rich noodle soup with lots of warming spices, a coconut milk broth, and airy tofu puffs that soak up so much flavor.

Most traditional versions include fish products and sometimes meat, but my version makes a few creative swaps for a big flavor recipe that won’t make you miss the meat/fish. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

You get the best of both (okay, a few) worlds

Southeast Asian flavors are on full display—citrusy lemongrass, cooling and piney galangal, that trademark sweet-tart pairing of lime and sugar. 

But Chinese and Indian flavors also get blended into the mix, a nod to Malaysia’s multicultural cuisine. Soy sauce seasons the broth and laksa paste with deep savoriness, while cumin, coriander, and curry leaves add delightfully warm Indian flavors. 

The result is the kind of soup that will make you tell your friends “you absolutely have to try this.”

There’s nothing quite like homemade curry paste

Although I’m not here to hate on store-bought curry paste, there are three reasons why this recipe has you spend a little extra time to make your own laksa paste. 

First, store-bought laksa paste, especially a vegan one, is hard to find unless you have easy access to Malaysian groceries. 

Second, making your own curry paste will undoubtedly take your cooking skills up a notch or two (any time I whip up my homemade Thai green curry paste, I end up feeling more confident in my skills). 

Most importantly, though: The flavors are unmatched when you make curry paste yourself—it’s so fresh and fragrant, zingy, and savory. Plus, you can tailor the spice level to your needs. 

It’s not as complicated as it sounds 

I will be the first one to admit that the ingredient list in this recipe is long. But, for one, if you look at any traditional laksa recipe that’s not watered down, a long ingredient list is typical. That’s because making a great curry paste requires a variety of herbs, spices, and aromatics. 

And two, achieving a rich depth of flavor that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours (without actually simmering for hours and without using animal products)…requires a fair number ingredients. 

That said, the actual making of the recipe is pretty straightforward.

The laksa paste gets blended in a food processor (Authentic? No. Quick? Yes). And the homemade broth needs just 3 to 4 ingredients and simmers for just 10 minutes.

From there, you just sauté the laksa paste, add the broth and simmer with a few other ingredients, and finally pair with simply cooked noodles. 

And the result is a complex, layered dish that will absolutely wow your tastebuds. 

PS: Want tips for meal prepping this soup to make it easier during the week? Jump to the Tips section!

Ingredient notes

I recommend visiting your local Asian grocery store to find many of these ingredients! If you have an H Mart or similar store near you, you can find all the listed ingredients there (except for the curry leaves).

Kombu and wakame

Many traditional laksa broths are made with shrimp (or chicken), so we need a fair amount of umami from plant-based sources.

My broth uses two types of seaweed: kombu, which is a type of kelp, and wakame (the latter is optional). Bonus: seaweed is an incredible source of vitamins and minerals, including iodine.

You can find kombu at most Asian grocery stores and well-stocked regular grocery stores like Whole Foods. Kombu is very rich in umami since it’s naturally packed with glutamic acid, the amino acid behind umami. Wakame is a milder seaweed that adds additional salty sea-like notes but is optional. 

Substitute: If you cannot find wakame or don’t want to purchase it, simply omit it OR replace it with a few dried shiitake mushrooms. Kombu + shiitakes = total umami bomb.

Chinese light soy sauce

Soy sauce deeply and thoroughly seasons every spoonful of this soup, both in the broth and the laksa paste. 

Substitute: Can’t find Chinese light soy sauce? Standard supermarket soy sauce works too, but you’ll need more of it since it’s less intense. See the recipe card for details.

Chile peppers

You can’t have curry paste without chili peppers! In my recipe, I use fresh Thai chile peppers, but use what’s available to you. 

Substitute: Any dried red chiles will do the trick, but you’ll want to rehydrate them by soaking in hot water for 15 minutes. Or you can try a fresh Fresno pepper, jalapeño, or serrano pepper. Start with ½ of a pepper and then add more as desired.

Spice level note: If you like things big spicy, use 4 or more fresh Thai chiles in the laksa paste, and garnish your soup with a thinly sliced pepper or two. To keep things mild, use three dried red chiles in the paste. 

Lemongrass

The aroma and flavor of lemongrass are indescribable (beyond “it makes every spoonful taste more interesting”). Lemongrass is sold at well-stocked supermarkets like Whole Foods, and of course Southeast Asian grocers and larger pan-Asian grocers.

Tip: Intimidated by lemongrass? Not to worry! There are step-by-step photos on how to prep lemongrass in my cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor!

PLUS inside the book, you’ll get access to a website that contains 20 instructional cooking videos on topics y’all have asked questions about, like how to prep lemongrass, how to prep fennel, how to toast whole spices, how to cook with cast iron, etc. 

Galangal

Commonly confused with ginger, galangal is actually quite the opposite. While ginger is spicy and warming, galangal is cooling and smells like a pine forest.

Galangal is an essential aromatic in Southeast Asian cooking and used in both Thai curry paste and Malaysian laksa paste. Find it at Southeast Asian grocers and larger pan-Asian grocers.

Substitute: Despite their differences, you can use ginger instead and it will still be delicious. 

Tip: Galangal usually has a tough exterior, so break out your sharpest knife to lob off any hard knobs. I like to thinly slice it into matchsticks so it blends more easily in the food processor. 

Cashews 

Fresh curry leaves

If you have a local Indian grocery store, you’ll find one of the greatest ingredients there: fresh curry leaves. They add a subtle but delightful Indian twist to this soup. 

Substitute: There is no good substitute for curry leaves, so simply omit if not available or if you don’t feel like making a trip to the Indian grocery store. This soup is still delicious without them!

Fried tofu puffs

This is simply tofu that has been fried, but it has a uniquely spongy, airy, and porous texture. This texture makes them the perfect vessel for soaking up all the flavor in a brothy soup. 

Tip: These are sold in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores (sometimes the freezer section). They may be called “fried tofu puffs,” “tofu puffs” or “soy puffs.”

If the puffs are very large, tear them in half before adding to the soup. That way they’re more bite-sized and soak up even more flavor.

Substitute: If you can’t find these, I recommend baking your own tofu or frying your own tofu, though it won’t have the same slurpable texture. 

Tips for making this recipe

Split the dish into four components and prep ahead 

This dish feels easier to conquer when you think of it being split into four components, two of which you can make ahead of time! 

The four components: (1) the broth, (2) the laksa paste, (3) the ingredients that go into the soup (this includes the broth, laksa paste, plus a few additional ingredients), and (4) the soup toppings. 

Shop beyond your usual grocery store

For this recipe, you’ll likely need to visit a Southeast Asian market or a large pan-Asian store like H Mart (and an Indian grocery store if you want to use the fresh curry leaves). These stores are home to key laksa ingredients you won’t find in a standard grocery store.

Of course, you can order just about any ingredient online these days, but it’s obviously harder to order fresh ingredients like lemongrass or fresh chiles online. 

Chop the tough aromatics before blending 

Even with a food processor, it helps to chop the laksa paste ingredients before adding them to the food processor, especially for tough ingredients (e.g., lemongrass and galangal).

And you’ll want to scrape down the sides of your food processor as you go along in order to get the smoothest possible consistency. The texture will never be that smooth, but I don’t think that’s a problem. Actually, it’s a nice reminder that this is homemade! 

Taste the soup as you go

We all have different taste preferences, so taste-test along the way to get things just to your liking. 

Feeling too spicy? Feel free to add a bit more coconut milk and more lime juice. Too sour? Add a bit more sugar. Not savory enough? Finish with a few dashes of soy sauce. 

Get creative with the toppings

Like a lot of Asian noodle soups (think phở or ramen), you can get really creative with the toppings here. The recipe card provides my favorite options, but feel free to use your imagination!

PS: My two favorite toppings are (1) Chinese chili crisp and (2) fried shallots, both of which you can purchase at the store….but there are also homemade versions of these condiments in Big Vegan Flavor!

Frequently Asked Questions

I hope you’ll love this Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup recipe from my new cookbook Big Vegan Flavor! To everyone who has already pre-ordered, THANK YOU!! Y’all are making my dreams come true.

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Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup

Nisha Vora

4.8 from 20 votes

Print Pin

This deeply savory Malaysian curry noodle soup is a vegan version of the popular curry laksa and it does not disappoint! Made with a homemade laksa paste and a fusion of Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Indian flavors, you’ll fall in love with this recipe from my new cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor.

Prep Time: 40 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: malaysian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Serving size: 4

Ingredients

Broth

• ▢ 3 sheets (about 12g) kombu (see Note 1)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (50g) Chinese light soy sauce (see Note 2)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon wakame seaweed (optional)
• ▢ 1 lime

Laksa Paste

• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ 3 medium shallots roughly chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ▢ 2- inch (5cm piece) galangal, very thinly sliced (see Note 3)
• ▢ 1- inch (2.5cm) piece fresh turmeric, peeled + rough chop (or ¾ tsp ground turmeric)
• ▢ 1 to 4 fresh Thai chiles, stemmed (see Note 4)
• ▢ 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed and finely chopped (see Note 5)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (25g) roasted cashews (or peanuts)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce
• ▢ 1 small handful (5g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• ▢ 1 lime: 1 teaspoon zest + 2 teaspoons juice
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice (or water)

Soup

• ▢ 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice
• ▢ 8 ounces (227g) oyster mushrooms, torn into strips (see Note 6)
• ▢ Sea salt (or kosher salt)
• ▢ 1 (13.5-ounce/400ml) can full-fat coconut milk
• ▢ 5 to 10 fresh curry leaves (or 10 to 15 dried curry leaves; optional) (see Note 7)
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce/227g) package fried tofu puffs or soy puffs
• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar, more as needed
• ▢ 6 to 8 oz (170 to 230g) dried ramen noodles OR 10 oz (285g) fresh noodles of choice
• ▢ 1 to 2 limes

Optional Toppings

• ▢ Fresh mint leaves, cilantro, and/or Thai basil leaves
• ▢ Thai chiles, thinly sliced (for spicy!)
• ▢ Bean sprouts
• ▢ Chinese chili oil / chili crisp

Instructions

• Make the broth. Cut a few slits in the kombu to release the flavor. In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 5 cups of water (1.2 L), the kombu, wakame (if using), and soy sauce to a simmer. Gently simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. The broth should taste like the sea.

  a. Fit a medium or large bowl underneath a colander and strain the broth, discarding the kombu and wakame.
• Optional – toast the whole spices. Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the coriander and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, until aromatic and a few shades darker. Remove from the heat to prevent burning.
• Make the laksa paste. In a food processor or small-capacity high-powered blender (a 32 ounce/1 L or smaller blender cup), add the coriander and cumin seeds, shallots, garlic, galangal (or ginger), turmeric, chile peppers, lemongrass, cashews or peanuts, soy sauce, cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Blend until a paste forms, stopping to scrape down the sides as you go.

  a. Add the oil (or water) gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a paste comes together (it won’t be completely smooth but try to get it as smooth as you can).

  b. Tip: Don’t stick your eyeballs directly over the blender or they’ll water!
• In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. After several minutes / once the pan is hot, add the Laksa Paste and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until it just starts to dry out, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour in the Broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and the leftover lemongrass stalks (if using; see Ingredient Notes). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer rapidly for 10 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to discard the whole lemongrass pieces, if used. Add the coconut milk, curry leaves, and tofu puffs. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasonings, adding a few dashes of soy sauce or salt as needed. Taste, adding the sugar to taste.
• While the soup simmers, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
• Assemble. Divide the noodles among four bowls. Ladle hot curry on top and add desired garnishes. Squeeze fresh lime juice on top. Add optional toppings.

Notes

General note: To prep the Broth and Laksa Paste ahead of time, visit the first tip in the Tips section of the post. 

1. Kombu is a type of kelp and is sold at well-stocked grocery stores and Asian grocers. Wakame is another type of seaweed, though optional so feel free to omit or substitute with a couple dried shiitake mushrooms.
2. Don’t have Chinese soy sauce? Use 1/4 cup (68 g) standard supermarket soy sauce (or tamari) in the Broth. And use 1 ½ tablespoons of it in the laksa paste.
3. Galangal is sold at Southeast Asian & larger Asian grocers; use ginger if not available. It can have a hard exterior, so use a sharp knife and cut off any hard knobs. No need to peel it as long as you slice it very thinly.
4. Chile peppers. For spicy: Use 4 fresh chiles in the laksa paste and garnish with 1 to 2 thinly sliced peppers. If not available, use ½ to 2 serrano or jalapeños depending on spice preference. For mild heat, use ~ 3 dried red chile peppers in the laksa paste but soak them in hot water for 15 minutes first to rehydrate (makes it easier to blend). 
5. Lemongrass: First, chop off the top tough parts of the lemongrass and the bottom root, then peel the papery outer layers until you reach the tender inner core. If you have a rolling pin or mallet, smash down on it to open up the aroma; then finely chop it. With the tough unused stalks, you can smash down on them as well, then add them to the soup in step 5 (discard before using). 
6. Not a fan of mushrooms? Replace with snap peas, snow peas, or chopped baby bok choy and add in step 6 along with the tofu puffs.
7. Fresh curry leaves: Sold at Indian/South Asian grocers. Omit if not available.

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Nutrition Info

Calories: 639kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 1849mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 4mg