For the Laksa Paste:

1. Make the Laksa Paste: Soak the large dried red chilies, Bird’s Eye Thai dried red chilies, and dried shrimp in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes to soften. Then squeeze the water out from the chilies (it’s ok if they’re still a bit wet) and roughly chop. Remove the dried shrimp from the bowl of water and set aside. Prepare the rest of the fresh and dry ingredients for the paste as indicated in the ‘Ingredients’ section. Add everything and 3 tablespoons of the chili soaking water to a food processor bowl. Cover and blend into a smooth paste, uncovering as needed to push the ingredients down. Add an additional ½ to 1 tablespoon of water if needed to help the paste come along. Transfer the paste to a bowl or container and set aside. For the Spicy Curry Laksa:

For the Spicy Curry Laksa:

1. Prep: Clean and pat-dry the chicken thighs. Shave the coconut sugar with a sharp knife and set aside. Rinse and pat-dry the prawns, rinse the fried fish balls, and cut the tofu puffs into halves. Place the mung bean sprouts in a bowl of water in the fridge for 15 minutes to rejuvenate. Then rinse and drain into a colander, set aside until ready to serve.
2. Sauté the laksa paste: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the laksa paste and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
3. Add the chicken: Add the chicken thighs and sauté to for 1 minute until coated in the paste.
4. Build the broth: Pour in the low sodium chicken broth and coconut milk, stir to combine. Then reduce the heat to medium-low.
5. Season and simmer: Stir in the 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, coconut sugar, and 2 teaspoons Thai chili powder. Simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. (You can check by piercing the flesh with a fork. The juices should run clear.)
6. Shred the chicken: Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Skim off (if any) “gunk” or dried blood floating at the top of the broth and discard. Remove the skin off the chicken thighs and discard. Then shred the flesh using two forks or by hand, discard the bone, and set aside until ready to serve.
7. Cook/reheat the rest of the proteins: Add the fish balls and fish tofu, and simmer for 6 minutes. Then add the tofu puffs and shrimp and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp has just cooked through. Give the broth a taste and adjust seasonings by adding the remainder tablespoon of lime juice and fish sauce, remaining teaspoon of Thai chili powder, more coconut sugar if needed. Then switch off the heat.

To Assemble/Serve:

1. Cook/reheat the noodles:
   • If using vacuum sealed packs of rice vermicelli or dried noodles: Cook according to package instructions in a pot of boiling water. Then drain and divide evenly into four bowls.
   • If using fresh rice noodles: Briefly place them in a pot of boiling water, then drain and divide evenly into four bowls.
2. To Serve: Ladle the laksa broth, fish balls, fish tofu, tofu puffs, and shrimp evenly over the noodles and top with the shredded chicken. Garnish with fried Asian shallots, mung bean sprouts, chopped laksa leaves (and/or chopped mint and coriander). Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and sambal oelek (or sambal pedas) if desired.