Soto Ayam (Spicy Indonesian Chicken Soup)

This recipe came from Nina ? via Mrs van Riel.

  • a teaspoon of coriander seeds;
  • 1 onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 4 kemeri (candle) nuts
  • a piece of peeled ginger (say two inches)

Fry the paste in a flavourless oil (peanut, sunflower) with quite a bit of turmeric to give a decent colour. Put the fried paste in the broth.

Soak and pound in a mortar and pestle a walnut size piece of laos. Add to the broth along with a couple of stalks of lemon grass and 4 or 5 leaves of duat salaan leaves (eugenia polyantha).

Prepare some cooked rice (perhaps a cup).

Soak transparent noodles (vermicilli) in hot water.

Shred the flesh from the chicken and discard the carcass. Return the meat to the broth.

For the last 5 minutes of cooking time add:

  • a couple of handfuls of bean shoots
  • the same amount of snow peas
  • some salt
  • about 3 stalks of celery chopped crosswise into cashew size pieces
  • a bunch of spring onions, chopped.

For each person, in a very large soup bowl, place some rice and noodles in the bottom. Spoon over some broth and chicken, making sure to also include some of the other bits like snow peas, spring onions, celery and bean shoots.

Provide the following garnishes:

  • crispy fried shallots (from a packet);
  • Steamed and thickly sliced potatoes;
  • sliced hard boiled eggs;
  • sliced cucumber; and various sambals.

 

Back to Food & Recipes …