Soto Ayam (Indonesian chicken noodle soup)
Serves 4
Ingredients
1.4 kg whole chicken (or chicken drumsticks)
2 litres chicken stock
1 tbsp oil (peanut or olive)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 stems lemongrass, bruised and quartered
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 long chilli, chopped (optional)
1 ½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
100 g vermicelli noodles
2 spring onions finely chopped (to serve)
1 cup bean sprouts (to serve)
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves (to serve)
4 hardboiled eggs (to serve)
Sambal oelek (ground chilli paste) (to serve)
Method
Add oil to hot saucepan
Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin, chilli and stir over heat
Add chicken and stir to coat
Add chicken stock, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, peppercorns and salt
Simmer uncovered for 1 ¼ hours or until meat is falling off the bone
Transfer chicken to plate. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly
Remove meat from bone and chop coarsely
Drain stock
Boil egg, peel and quarter
Place noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 20 minutes
Divide noodles among bowls
Add chopped chicken to bowls
Add stock to bowls
Garnish with boil egg pieces and fresh coriander
Serve with Sambal oelek (if desired)
This recipe was also published in the August 2018 edition of Border Crossings, the magazine of LCA International Mission.