Soft-Shell Crab Laksa

Laksa is a traditional spicy noodle dish of Southeast Asia (especially Malaysia). It’s chile-rich and bright with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, but has plenty of coconut milk to temper the heat. In this version with crab, it becomes a one-bowl meal.

For the crisp-fried shallots

• 
  
  1 large shallot, cut crosswise into thin rings
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup vegetable oil
  
  

For the laksa

• 
  
  6 oz. bean thread vermicelli noodles
  
  


• 
  
  6 medium cloves garlic
  
  


• 
  
  3 oz. (about 2) long red chiles, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
  
  


• 
  
  2 lemongrass stems, white part only, thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  5 (single) fresh kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. ground turmeric
  
  


• 
  
  Three 14-oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. grated palm sugar (jaggery)
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. tamarind concentrate, optional
  
  


• 
  
  6 cleaned soft shell crabs (about 3-1/2 oz. each after cleaning)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fish sauce
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 napa cabbage, finely shredded (2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. firm tofu, diced into 3/4-inch cubes
  
  

For serving

• 
  
  1 handful of bean sprouts, trimmed
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup fresh basil leaves
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup fresh mint leaves
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  
  


• 
  
  3 limes, halved
  
  

Fry the shallots

Put the shallots in a wide bowl, add the flour, and toss to coat, separating the rings as you go. Put them in a sieve over the bowl and shake off the excess flour.

Heat the oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the shallots in batches and fry until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain as fried. Set aside.

Make the laksa

Soak the noodles in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, process the garlic, chiles, cilantro stems, lemongrass, and lime leaves, and turmeric with 2 Tbs. water to make a paste, or pound using a mortar and pestle.

Bring the coconut milk to a boil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the spice paste, palm sugar, and tamarind, if using, and stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Add the crab, bring back to a boil, then turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes, or until the crab is just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the crab should read 145°F).

Add the fish sauce, lime juice, cabbage, and tofu. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

To serve

Divide the noodles and crab among four bowls, spoon over the sauce and garnish with the bean sprouts, herb leaves, and crisp-fried shallots. Serve with the lime halves.