Jet Black Curry Laksa

Chef: Nao Sadatsuka
In the manga: Chapter 51
In the anime: Episode 21
Cuisine and type: Southeast Asian, Curry Laksa

Jet Black Curry Laksa is a dish made by Nao Sadatsuka during the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election's Preliminary Round.

A famed Southeast Asian dish, this is a one-of-a-kind that makes you think twice. Made exclusively by Nao Sadatsuka, this dish is infamous for using the Kusaya salted fish method, and Nao decided to use mahi mahi and flying fish to create the incredibly awful stench of the dish. Behind the horrible smell of the dish, however, is the surprising delicious taste as it is made with Laksa noodles that are made of coconut milk, together with other unsuspecting ingredients. Eat if you dare and you have been warned...

Real-world dishes

Laksa

Real facts

Laksa Lemak: Also known as Laksa Nyonya, this type of laksa rich with coconut gravy. It is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. This laksa is usually made with a fish-based gravy (with vegetarian food stalls omitting fish) and is heavily influenced by Thai Laksa, (Thailand counterpart, notably the Pattani Province), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.
Katong Laksa: Also known as Laksa Katong, this laksa is one of the variants of laksa lemak from the Katong area of Singapore. Contrast to any laksa the noodles are normally cut up into smaller pieces so that the entire dish can be eaten with a spoon alone, without chopsticks or a fork. Interestingly, Katong laksa is a strong contender for the heavily competed title of Singapore's national dish.
Laksam: Delicacy from Northeastern Malaysian states, such as Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah, this laksa is made with very thick flat white rice flour noodles in a rich, full-bodied white gravy of boiled fish and coconut milk. Though usually made of fish meat, it is sometimes made with other fish such as eels. The Laksam is traditionally eaten with hands instead of utensils due to the gravy's thick consistency.

Trivia

Contrary to the Curry Laksa ever known in Southeast Asia (particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore), Nao's dish is much more similar to Asam Laksa.

Dish details from the Shokugeki no Sōma Wiki (CC BY-SA).

Recipe

Wiki recipe, completed by Totsuki AI

Jet Black Curry Laksa

Home version — squid-ink coconut curry laksa with a fish-sauce and dried-fish "kusaya-style" funk that is far milder than real kusaya

Difficulty
Total time: 50 min
Hands-on: 50 min
Cost: ¥¥¥¥
Servings: 2

Equipmentpot, blender, frying pan

Tastespicy, umami, comforting

Ingredients

+ added by Totsuki AI. ≈ amount estimated by Totsuki AI.

Spice paste

2 stalks lemongrass, sliced (amount estimated)
4 shallots (added by Totsuki AI)
3 cloves garlic (added by Totsuki AI)
1 thumb of ginger (added by Totsuki AI)
4 dried red chilies, soaked (added by Totsuki AI)
1 tbsp curry powder (added by Totsuki AI)
1 tbsp dried shrimp (added by Totsuki AI)

Soup

2 tbsp neutral oil (added by Totsuki AI)
400 ml coconut milk (amount estimated)
400 ml fish stock (added by Totsuki AI)
2 tsp squid ink (amount estimated)
1 tbsp fish sauce, as a kusaya-style stand-in (amount estimated)
150 g mahi mahi, or any firm white fish, in chunks (amount estimated)
1 tsp sugar (added by Totsuki AI)

Noodles and toppings

200 g laksa noodles, thick rice or egg noodles (amount estimated)
100 g bean sprouts (amount estimated)
4 tofu puffs, halved (amount estimated)
cilantro, to taste (amount estimated)
1 lime, in wedges (added by Totsuki AI)

Method

+ step written by Totsuki AI.

1
Blend the spice paste ingredients until smooth, adding a little oil.+
2
Fry the paste in the oil for 6–8 minutes until it darkens and smells sweet.+
3
Add the coconut milk, fish stock, squid ink, fish sauce and sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the fish and tofu puffs for the last 5 minutes.+
4
Cook the noodles and blanch the bean sprouts.+
5
Pour the jet-black broth over the noodles and top with sprouts, cilantro and lime.+