Katong Laksa with Prawns and Rice Vermicelli
A rich, coconutty prawn noodle soup in the Katong style, with short noodles you eat with just a spoon.
Made with Laksa paste and Homemade chicken stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 mins
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.95 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Cook the rice vermicelli following the packet, then drain, rinse under cold water and snip into short lengths with scissors. This is the Katong way, so you can eat the laksa with a spoon alone.
5 min - 2
Heat a large pan over a medium heat and add the ready made laksa paste (see the base recipe). Fry for 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells fragrant.
2 min - 3
Pour in your homemade chicken stock (see the base recipe) and the coconut milk. Add the fish sauce and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Do not boil hard or the coconut milk may split.
10 min - 4
Add the prawns and tofu puffs and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the prawns are pink and curled.
3 min 30 s - 5
Divide the noodles and bean sprouts between four bowls. Ladle over the hot soup and prawns.
- 6
Top with coriander and chilli and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Tips
- Snip the cooked noodles short with scissors. It is how Katong laksa is served and it makes the soup easy to eat with a spoon.
- Add the prawns last and stop as soon as they turn pink and curl. Overcooked prawns turn rubbery.
- Check the fish sauce label for wheat if you need it gluten free. Most pure fish sauces are fine, but not all.
Storing and freezing
Eat on the day, or keep the broth and noodles separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat the broth until steaming hot all the way through. Do not freeze with the prawns.
Questions
Can I use chicken instead of prawns?
Yes. Use 400 g sliced chicken thigh and simmer it in the broth for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through with no pink meat, then continue as written.
Is this laksa gluten free and dairy free?
Yes. The base paste, stock, rice noodles and coconut milk contain no gluten or dairy. It does contain shellfish from the prawns and shrimp paste, so it is not suitable for shellfish allergy.
Can I make it less spicy?
Yes. Use 60 g of paste instead of 80 g and leave out the fresh chilli. Serve extra lime to lift the flavour without adding heat.
More made with laksa paste
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.