Asian Soups Recipes - Indonesian Chicken Soup (Soto Ayam) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 x 3lb. chicken

• 7 1/2 cups water

• salt and pepper

• 2 medium onions, sliced

• 3 Tbs. peanut oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 12/ in. piece of fresh green ginger, peeled and chopped

• 2 red chilies, crumbled

• 1 tsp. blachan (dried shrimp paste)

• 1 tsp. turmeric

• 2 tsp. ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

Garnish:

• 1 cup cooked vermicelli

• 4 Tbs. chopped scallions

• 2 hard cooked eggs, sliced

Serves 6-8

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Method:

1. Put the chicken into a large saucepan and pour over the water. Add salt and pepper to taste and one onion, and bring to the boil.

2. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat.

3. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool and reserve the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the remaining onion, the garlic, ginger, chilies and blachan and fry, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft.

5. Stir in the spices and fry for 1 minute. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, skimming the surface occasionally.

6. Put the chicken meat and cooked vermicelli into a large tureen and pour over the stock. Add the spring onions (scallions) and egg slices before serving.

7. Sometimes, dry fried chilies and sambal ulek are passed around in separate bowls to eat with the soup.