Squeeze your thawed tofu to remove as much water as possible. Put it in a food processor. Finely slice the garlic and spring onions and add them to the tofu. Process until pasty, then scrape mixture into a bowl and stir in the chili paste, chili sauce, coriander leaves and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Put these onto a lightly oiled baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Soak the vermicelli in hot water for ten minutes or until softened, then drain well and rinse in cold water.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and cook until aromatic. Add the stock, coconut milk and broccoli florets, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the broccoli is just tender. Stir in the vermicelli and tofu balls.
Divide the soup into serving bowls and serve, sprinkled with mung beans sprouts and coriander leaves.
Variations: Cube and fry the tofu for a super soup in a hurry. Use bigger flat or round noodles instead of vermicelli. Play with flavours in the tofu balls - perhaps ginger or lemongrass or lime. Switch the broccoli for bok choy, zucchini, snow peas or other veggies. Try Vietnamese mint instead of coriander. Add peanuts or cashews.
Source of recipe: I veganised a chicken laksa recipe from a book of 'one-pot meals'. Yay for tofu!