Assam laksa

Ingredients

• 8 medium size sardine fish
• Laksa noodles (as needed or any other choice of noodles)
• 3 asam keping/dried tamarind pieces
• 3 stalks of daun kesum/Vietnamese mint or laksa mint (pluck the leaves out)
• 3 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• Spices To Blend
• 10-15 dried red chillies
• 1 lemongrass
• 4 shallots
• 1/2 inch roasted belacan/shrimp paste
• For Garnishing/Topping
• 1 red onion (sliced)
• 1 bunga kantan/ginger bud
• 2 red chillies
• 1/4 cucumber
• 2 stalks mint leaves
• Otak-otak/ready-made shrimp paste (as needed)
• All these ingredients to be sliced thinly except for the mint, just pluck the leaves out.

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Preparation

• Boil the fishes in 1 litre of water until cooked.
  Remove and let it cool down.
  Pull out all the fish flesh carefully without any bones.
  Add back all the flesh/pieces into the pot again.
  Include in the blended spices, tamarind pieces, salt and the daun kesum and let it simmer over low heat until a boiling point.
  
  To Serve
  In a bowl, add the needed amount of noodles and all the garnishing/topping ingredients as well as 1/2 tbsp or 1 tsbp otak-otak.
  
  Serve immediately while the soup is still hot.