Singapore Katong Laksa | Marion's Kitchen

Name: Singapore Katong Laksa | Marion's Kitchen
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 12 large raw king prawns (about 600g/1 lb 5 oz), peeled and cleaned (reserve shells and heads for stock); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 750ml (3 cups) coconut milk; 1 tbsp grated palm sugar; ¼ cup fish sauce, or to taste; 3 tbsp salt; 600g (1 lb 5 oz) dried round rice noodles – laksa or rice vermicelli noodles; 18 store-bought fish balls; 200g (7 oz beanshoots; 150g (5 oz) fried tofu puffs; 300g (10.5 oz) blood cockles or clams, cooked, meat picked; finely sliced Vietnamese mint leaves, to serve; Spice paste; 2 tbsp dried shrimp; 16 large dried red chillies; 5-6 small dried red chillies; 2 tsp belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste); 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 5-6 red Asian shallots, coarsely chopped; 1 tbsp chopped galangal; 1 tbsp chopped ginger; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised, finely sliced; 8 macadamia nuts or candlenuts, coarsely chopped; 1 tsp ground turmeric; Stock; 1½ tbsp vegetable oil; reserved shells and heads from the prawns; Chilli sambal; 1 cup large dried red chilies