Soto Ayam (Saoto Soup)
Soto ayam is an aromatic and spicy chicken soup. This is the perfect soup for foodies looking for the true taste of Java and Suriname.
This is a more complete meal than a simple soup, as it is served with many extras.
Soto soup is usually served with cooked white rice.
Ingredients:
Look for fresh and frozen herbs like laos (galangal), daun salam in the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets.
2 to 3 quarts of water (1 quart = 1/4 gallon)
2 kilograms of chicken breast
8 large garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 chopped onions
3 tablespoons finely sliced celery
4 pepper seeds
1 piece of fresh ginger, 5 centimeters (2 inches) long, peeled and sliced
3 thick stalks of fresh lemongrass (sereh), tied in a knot (lemongrass has an intriguing lemon scent without the nibble that lemons can add to a plate).
6 whole dried daun salam leaves (aromatic young leaves containing volatile oils are used, some fresh leaves are simmered whole in Indonesian curry or soup).
1 piece fresh or frozen laos (galangal), 2 inches long (5 centimeters), peeled and thinly sliced (resembles ginger flavor but is more aromatic)
2 teaspoons freshly ground fine black pepper
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons soy sauce (salty soy sauce) or sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
5 chicken bouillon cubes (bouillon cube) to taste
15 oz. white noodles
One pound of bean sprouts (make sure they are 2 to 3 inches long, with small, bright yellow pods. Don’t mistakenly buy bean sprouts, which have larger pods and thicker sprouts).
4-8 eggs
4 medium potatoes
Sambal
2 to 3 tablespoons corn oil
White rice
Cooking instructions
Boil the water, add the chicken breast, laos, fresh ginger, bell pepper, black pepper, the
4 minced garlic, 2 minced onions, salam leaves, lemongrass, 2 tablespoons of sliced celery, chicken bouillon cubes, and 4 tablespoons of soy sauce.
Cook this until the chicken breast is tender (30 minutes) and remove it from the broth.
Cook the rice as usual
Boil the eggs until hard (8-10 min.) And peel them.
Pull out the roots of bean sprouts because it looks cleaner this way.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into smaller pieces (like French fries but thinner) and then fry them not until dark but crisp.
Cut the white noodles into 3-4 inch chunks (with scissors) and fry them for like shrimp crackers.
Cut the boiled chicken breast into small pieces with the bone.
So, it’s time to sift the broth and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the rest of the onion and sliced garlic. When the garlic and onion are golden brown so as not to darken, take them out and reserve.
Fry the chicken breast (pieces) in the oil and when it is light brown, remove it.
Serve hot!
Put the soup bowls on the table and add to each bowl:
1 or 2 tablespoons of cooked white rice,
1 boiled egg
some bean sprouts,
minced fried chicken breast,
fried onion and garlic
French fries and white noodles
and garnish with sliced celery
Finally, pour the boiling soup into the bowls, start eating the soto and if you want, you can add salt, soy sauce and don’t forget the sambal.
Eat at once. Bean sprouts will become mushy and watery if allowed to sit for more than 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
