Recipe Cuisine: Indonesian
Theme: 10 Iconic Asian Ingredients
Soto Ayem
By: Miku G
Ingredients
- Chicken and soup base:
- 4 chicken thighs - skin reserved
- 1.5 litres chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Valcom lemongrass
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- Spice paste:
- 5 medium shallots - chopped
- 5 cloves garlic - chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger - chopped
- 1 tbsp hazelnuts - chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Soto ayam:
- Use the stock from cooking the chicken
- 320 g vermicelli
- 4 eggs - large
- 100g firm tofu - sliced
- To serve:
- sambal oelek
- lime wedges
- coriander - chopped
- spring onions - finely chopped
Product used in recipe
- VALCOM - LEMON GRASS
Method
- Prepare the chicken and stock:Using a large pot, add the stock, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and salt. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer until just cooked. Approx. 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside.
- Prepare the spice paste:Make the spice paste while poaching the chicken. In a small frypan, fry the garlic, shallot, and ginger in vegetable oil until fragrant and golden. Transfer the garlic, shallot and ginger to a blender. Add the remaining spice paste ingredients and puree to make the spice paste. In a medium frying pan with 3 tbsp oil, fry the spice paste over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 more minutes until the oil begins to pool at the edges. Stir the cooked paste into the chicken broth.
- Medium boil the eggs:Bring a small saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by two cm to a boil. Carefully add eggs and simmer for exactly 7 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop them cooking further. Peel once cooled, but leave whole.
- Fry the chicken and tofu:Using a large frypan, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium heat and fry the tofu slices until golden, remove and set aside.Using the same pan and oil. Fry the reserved chicken skin until crisp. Set aside and slice for serving when cool.Add 3 tbsp of oil to the frypan and fry the chicken thighs for 2–3 minutes per side to brown. Transfer to a plate and slice into strips.
- Assemble the soto ayam:Bring the broth to a lively simmer and season with salt to taste. Meanwhile, soften the rice vermicelli by covering with boiling water until soft; drain and rinse with cold water to prevent it from overcooking. Carefully halve the eggs using a sharp knife to keep the soft yolks intact.
- To serve: Divide the rice noodles, shredded chicken and tofu among four bowls. Top with coriander and spring onions, then ladle hot broth into each bowl to cover the noodles. Finish with an egg half, a lime wedge and a sprinkle of crispy chicken skin per serving. Serve immediately with sambal oelek to taste.
