Dr Rupy Aujla's carrot and courgette laksa recipe

Laksa is a coconut curried dish originating in Southeast Asia. Dr Rupy Aujla's carrot and courgette laksa can be thrown together in just a few minutes.

This laksa is a hearty and comforting meal with lots of different vegetables and flavours included. Simply throw all the ingredients in one pot and let the Malaysian spices work their magic. A simple combination of flavoursome spices can quickly transform a dish. If you're feeling adventurous you could even add chicken, shrimp or tofu to the curried broth. Dr Rupy Aujla's carrot and courgette laksa recipe features in his The Doctor's Kitchen cookbook. This laksa recipe is an an amazing way of using up any vegetables leftover in the fridge and turning them into a hearty and comforting meal.

Dr Rupy says: 'Making the paste for this delicious meal from scratch is so simple and totally worth the effort, but you could use a ready-made Malaysian-style red curry (laksa) paste if you prefer – in fact, most south-east Asian pastes will work in this dish. Curries are a fantastic vehicle for nutrient-rich vegetables. Carrots are a rich and widely available source of beta-carotene, but you could easily use grated sweet potato or butternut squash for similar nutrient and health properties. The grated apple brings a touch of sweetness to the final dish that mellows the heat of the paste.'

Ingredients

• 600ml water
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 quantity Malaysian Laksa Paste (see page 246 or use shop-bought paste)
• 400ml tin coconut milk
• 200g brown rice noodles
• 200g carrots, grated
• 300g courgettes, grated
• 200g green beans, roughly chopped
• ½ red chilli, finely chopped
• A little chopped fresh coriander, to serve
• ½ red apple
• 1 lime, halved

Variations

• Swap the brown rice noodles for white rice noodles or other noodles you have on hand (bearing in mind that they might take less or more time to cook)
• Try grating other vegetables like celeriac, parsnip or even beetroot for a delicious earthy twist.

Method

1. Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan and dissolve the stock cube in the water.
2. Add the laksa paste and coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the noodles and stir for 2–3 minutes then add all the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and allow the flavours to marry for a few minutes before dividing among large bowls.
4. Scatter the chilli over each serving along with a little chopped coriander. Grate some apple over each serving and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.