If you are short on time but still want a great bowl of laksa, here’s how to turn a packet of instant noodles into an authentic-tasting Malaysian-style dish.

Ingredients

• 1 free-range egg
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 large prawns, peeled, shells reserved
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 2 pcs fried fishcake*
• 4 pcs fried tofu puffs*
• 2 packets MAGGI Fusian Malaysian Laksa Soupy Noodles
• ½ cup beansprouts
• 1 tsp fried Asian shallots*
• 1 tbsp each Vietnamese mint and coriander (optional)
• 1 bird’s eye chilli, sliced (optional)
• ½ tsp sambal belacan* (optional)
• * These ingredients are available from Asian grocers and some supermarkets.

Method

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Using a metal skewer poke a small hole in the base of the egg. Boil the egg for 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool completely. Peel the egg and cut in half.

While the egg is boiling, heat a separate small saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the prawn shells and chilli powder fry until fragrant, then remove the shells and add 650ml of hot water. Bring to a boil, then add the fish cake and prawns and cook for about 2 seconds until the prawns are cooked through. Remove the fishcake and prawns from the pot and set aside.

Add the noodle cakes and cook for 2 minutes, then add the beansprouts and cook for a further minute. Remove everything to a bowl and stir through the flavour and creamer sachets from the noodle packets. Top with the prawn, fishcake, egg halves, herbs, chilli, fried shallots and sambal belacan. Serve immediately.