Soto Brunei — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A warming turmeric-yellow chicken broth rich with spices, served over rice vermicelli and topped with shredded chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and crispy fried shallots.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 1.5kg)
2L water
3 stalks lemongrass, bruised
5cm galangal, sliced
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ground coriander
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
200g rice vermicelli, soaked
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
Bean sprouts
Fried shallots
Celery leaves
Lime wedges
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1 Boil the whole chicken in water with lemongrass, galangal, and a teaspoon of salt for 45 minutes until cooked through.
2 Remove chicken, let cool, then shred the meat. Return bones to the broth and simmer 20 more minutes.
3 Blend shallots, garlic, turmeric, and coriander into a paste. Fry in oil until fragrant.
4 Strain the broth and stir in the fried spice paste. Season with salt and pepper.
5 Divide soaked rice vermicelli among bowls. Top with shredded chicken and bean sprouts.
6 Ladle hot broth over and garnish with halved eggs, fried shallots, celery leaves, and lime wedges.

Did You Know?

Every Bruneian family claims their soto recipe is the best — the spice paste proportions are closely guarded secrets passed down through generations.