Step 1

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse a few times and then grind into a smooth paste. You may need to scrap the bowl a few times to make sure everything is ground finely. The oil should help things going in there

Step 2

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process into a fine paste. Pour this into a pan and stir fry until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and can be frozen for up to one month

Step 3

Preheat a large heavy-bottom pot. Add cooking oil. Carefully add the shells and heads from the shrimp and stir fry until they turn orange in color. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to let it gently simmer for 30 minutes

Step 4

Strain the stock and discard the shells. You can store this in the refrigerator for up to 1 week

Step 5

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the bean sprouts for about 10 seconds and then run through cold water quickly

Step 6

Discard the water and bring a fresh pot of water to a boil. Cook the shrimp until they turn pink and then refresh with cold water. Reheat the fish balls in the boiling water for 10-20 seconds. Set aside

Step 7

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add blood cockles to a boiling water. Give it a stir and cook until you start seeing some shells have opened, probably at around 2-3 minutes mark or longer. Turn off the heat and drain off water. Remove the cockle meats and set aside

Step 8

Preheat a large heavy-bottom pot. Add laksa paste (there's already oil in there). Stir fry until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent the paste catching at the bottom of the pot. Pour in the shrimp stock. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it gently simmer for 15 minutes

Step 9

Stir in the coconut milk. and tau pok and let it gently simmer for 10 minutes to let them soak up the gravy. From this point on, you don't want to let it come to a hard boil or the coconut milk with turn frothy. Then have a taste and adjust by adding more salt and or sugar. Stir in the coconut cream. Turn off the heat. The residual heat will warm up the milk.

Step 10

I use dried thick rice noodles (similar to the ones used for Vietnamese Bun Bo Hue). Cook the noodles according to instruction

Step 11

Portion the rice noodles in a large bowl.  Arrange fish balls/fish cakes, shrimp, cockles (if using), and bean sprouts on the noodles. Generously ladle the hot laksa broth over and sprinkle in more laksa leaves

Step 12

Serve with sambal on the side or on the laksa. Serve immediately