Penang Assam Laksa

TNP published a recipe for penang assam laksa! I think I will try to make it next week. If the results are good, I don't need to go to Nex to satisfy my cravings anymore!
Posting the recipe here, for reference when I want to make the dish. It looks simple enough. This recipe serves four.
Ingredients:
500g laksa noodles
6-8 Indian mackerel or 10 short mackerel (a comment on the recipe said to use 8-10 Indian mackerel or 15 short mackerel for a thicker texture)
1 torch ginger bud, halved lengthwise
1/2 rice bowl laksa leaves
2.5cm lengkuas / galangal
150g tamarind, soaked in 300ml hot water and strained
1/2 cucumber, julienned
150g pineapple, julienned
1 red onion, sliced thinly
3-4 stalks mint leaves
2.5l water
1tsp sugar
salt to taste
Rempah:
10-12 dried chillies, soaked till softened
12 shallots
3 stalks lemon grass, use only 7cm from the root part
2.5cm penang belacan
- Blend all to a paste
Prawn paste:
2tbsp prawn paste
2tbsp hot water
Instructions:
Bring 2.2l water to a boil. Add fish in and boil at low heat for 10 min. Remove and set fish aside to cool.
Once cooled, pick out the fish meat, making sure that there are no bones. Meat from the stomach area may be bitter, so avoid those parts.
Strain the cooking liquid and bring to a boil, adding ginger bud, lengkuas and laksa leaves. Boil on high heat for 10 minutes.
Lower the heat, and add the tamarind water, rempah and fish meat. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Add sugar and salt to taste.
Boil a pot of water and cook laksa noodles for 2-3 minutes. Strain and put in a bowl. Add sliced onion, pineapple, cucumber and mint leaves. Pour soup on top and drizzle with prawn paste.