Soto Ayam – Indonesian Yellow Chicken Soup

By: Graciosa Wicaksono

Soup ingredients:
1kg chicken thighs or drumsticks
8 cups of water
Ground Spice ingredients:
4 shallots or 1 red onion, peeled
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon galangal powder
2 stalks of lemongrass, trim the top woody end and smash the lemongrass to release its perfume
3 or 4 kaffir lime leaves, tear the leaves again to release its perfume
Seasonings: sugar and salt, adjust to taste
Serve with: mung bean noodles or rice, hard or soft boiled eggs, sliced spring onion, lime juice, crispy fried shallots and ABC sweet soy sauce and/or chilli sauce

Preheat a large pot with cooking oil. Add the ground spices and stir fry until they are fragrant. Add the chicken pieces, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and stir to mix everything.
Pour in the water and bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for approximately 30minutes or until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Add seasoning and have a taste of the soup.
Remove from the heat and carefully remove chicken pieces from the pot, shred the chicken meat and set aside. Discard the lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves.
To serve, prepare some egg and mung bean noodles (soaked in hot water for few minutes), spring onion slices and cut lime.
Portion noodles into an individual serving bowl. Top with shredded chicken meat, spring onion slices and garnish with crispy fried shallots. Drizzle the soto ayam with fresh lime juice and ABC Sweet Soy sauce