Recipe: Soto ayam - Indonesian chicken soup

Soto ayam is a yellow spicy chicken soup with vermicelli, commonly found in Indonesia. To kick up the flavor of the traditional Soto Ayam, this variation is infused with coconut milk and more spices.

Ingredients

• ½ chicken breast meat, skinless and deboned (cut into small cubes)
• 1 stalk of lemon grass (cut into 3 strips)
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 can of chicken broth
• 1 glass of water

Spice Paste

• 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 4 shallots (chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 2 pieces of turmeric (peeled and chopped) or 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
• 2-inch piece of galangal (peeled and sliced)
• 2-inch piece of ginger (peeled and sliced)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice

Other ingredients

• 2 cups of sliced cabbages
• 2 cups of bean sprouts
• ½ pack of vermicelli or 1 small package of glass noodles
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 hard-boiled eggs (cut into wedges)
• 1 stalk of spring onion (chopped)

Directions

Blend the spice paste in a food processor. Add some water if needed.

Pour some oil in a pot and add in the spice paste.

Stir the spice paste and wait for it to turn light brown.

Add in chicken broth, coconut milk, lemon grass strips, and water.

Once the broth starts boiling, add in chicken breast cubes.

Cover the pot and lower the heat and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes.

Add salt to taste.

Blanch beansprouts, pre-soaked vermicelli / glass noodles, cabbages in another pot of boiling water and transfer them into a bowl once they are cooked.

Add in toppings of hard-boiled eggs, chopped spring onions and pour the hot chicken broth into the bowl.

Serve hot with lime wedges.

Variations

In stead of the spice paste mentioned above, try sambal soto

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