Laksa comes from South-East Asia and combines curry and soup. With sticky blackened sesame chicken and noodles with coconut and squash broth, this was the perfect first Jamie Oliver dish to start my culinary exploration.
The first time I prepared this dish I could not find the fish sauce, which on eating the dish was glaringly evident. I also don’t think I quite got the butternut squash into the dish (I grated it and added it to the broth) the way as it was supposed to, as the taste of it did not pass into the dish as I thought it would. I found the fish sauce the second day I ate it, and it made a world of difference to the dish.
The chicken itself couldn’t be any more perfect!
INGREDIENTS – Serves 4
FOR THE CHICKEN
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 heaped tsp Chinese five-spice
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 fresh red chilli
FOR THE LAKSA
1 tub (500ml) ready-made chicken broth
1 butternut squash (neck end only)
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb-sized piece ginger
1 fresh red chilli
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 bunch spring onions
1 heaped tsp peanut butter
4 dried kaffir lime leaves
1/2 bunch fresh coriander
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
300g rice noodles
2 bunches asparagus (600g)
1 tin (400g) light coconut milk
3 limes