Soto Ayam - Indonesian clear chicken soup
Soto Ayam is one of the most popular soups among Indonesian culinary. This clear chicken soup is often enjoyed with cellophane noodles and hard-boiled rice cakes.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 chicken (approximately 2.2 lbs.)
- 1 medium brown onion.
- 5 cloves garlic.
- 1- inch ginger.
- 1 lemongrass (cut in an inch-lengths.)
- 2 salam leaves.
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper.
- Salt to taste ((I put 1 ½ tsp).)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or 1 tbsp lime juice.
- 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Optional:
- 3.5 ounces cellophane noodles (soaked in hot boiling water for 2-3 minutes until softened and drain.)
- 10 ounces hard-boiled rice cakes/ lontong (cut into small pieces.)
- 1-2 ounces fried-onions.
- 3 spring onions/ scallions (finely sliced.)
- 1 ounce flat-leaved parsley (finely sliced.)
- 4 eggs (boiled, peeled and sliced.)
- 2 tomatoes (sliced.)
- Onion crackers or pawn crackers.
Instructions
- 1
Peel and chop the onions, garlic, and ginger.
- 2
Using a pestle and mortar or a food processor, grind the chopped onions, ginger, and garlic into a paste. Set aside
- 3
Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces or into 4 big pieces.
- 4
Boil one litre of water in a pot, and put the chicken pieces in when the water reaches its boiling point. Boil the poultry until it’s just cooked through. Drain the chicken and set it aside.
- 5
In another pot, boil 2 litres of water and add the onion paste, lemongrass, salam leaves, vinegar, pepper and salt. Let the water simmer with all the herbs and spices for about 5 minutes.
- 6
Then add the chicken into the spiced water and let it cook and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer you cook the more savoury your soup will be.
- 7
Once you’re happy with your soup, take the chicken out and shred its meat. Set aside.
- 8
Arrange your Soto Ayam in a serving bowl. Starting with Lontong pieces (if using), cellophane noodles, beansprouts, shredded cabbage, shredded chicken and boiled egg slices.
- 9
Then pour the soup over until it covers everything.
- 10
Garnish your Soto Ayam with chopped tomatoes, sliced spring onions, parsley, fried onions slices, and some crackers.
- 11
Enjoy.