Soto Ayam — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A golden, turmeric-infused chicken soup brimming with vermicelli, shredded chicken, and hard-boiled eggs. Indonesia's ultimate comfort soup with dozens of regional variations.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 1.5kg), cleaned
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and knotted
4 kaffir lime leaves
5cm galangal, sliced
3cm fresh turmeric, peeled (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
6 shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground coriander
100g glass noodles (bean thread vermicelli)
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
150g bean sprouts, blanched
Fried shallots for garnish
Lime wedges for serving
Sambal for serving
Salt to taste

Instructions

1 Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot, cover with cold water by five centimetres, and add the lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for forty-five minutes.
2 Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool. Return the bones to the pot and continue simmering the broth for another thirty minutes to develop a deeper, more concentrated flavour.
3 Blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, fresh turmeric, and ground coriander in a food processor until smooth. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry this paste for five minutes until fragrant and the oil separates.
4 Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the solids. Stir the fried spice paste into the clear broth and bring to a gentle simmer, seasoning with salt to taste.
5 Shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Soak the glass noodles in boiling water for five minutes until soft, then drain and cut into manageable lengths.
6 To assemble each serving, place a handful of glass noodles in a deep bowl, top with shredded chicken and two hard-boiled egg halves, then ladle the hot, aromatic golden broth generously over the top.
7 Garnish each bowl with blanched bean sprouts, a generous scattering of crispy fried shallots, and a lime wedge. Serve immediately with sambal on the side for those who prefer extra heat.