Soto Ayam (Saoto Soup)

Soto ayam is a spicy and aromatic chicken soup. This is the perfect soup for foodies looking for a true taste of Java and Suriname.
This is a more complete meal than just soup, as it is served with many extras.
Soto de soto is usually served with cooked white rice.

Ingredients:

Look for fresh and frozen herbs like laos (galangal), daun salam in markets in China and Southeast Asia.

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 thinly sliced ​​celery

4 peppercorns

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 lemony scent without the tang that lemons can add to a dish).

6 whole dried daun salam leaves (fragrant young leaves containing volatile oils are used, some fresh leaves are simmered in Indonesian curry or soup.)

1 piece of fresh or frozen laos (galangal), 2 inches long (5 centimeters), peeled and thinly sliced ​​(closer to ginger flavor but more aromatic)

2 teaspoons freshly ground fine black pepper

Salt to taste

4 tablespoons soy sauce (soy sauce) or sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

5 chicken bouillon cubes (bouillon cube) to taste

15 ounces white noodles

1 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 of corn oil

White rice

cooking instructions

Bring the water to a boil, add the chicken breast, laos, fresh ginger, bell pepper, black pepper,
4 minced garlic, 2 minced onions, salam leaves, lemongrass, 2 tablespoons sliced ​​celery, chicken stock cubes, and 4 tablespoons soy sauce.
Cook this until the chicken breast is tender (30 minutes) and remove from the broth.

Cook the rice as usual.

Boil the eggs until hard (8-10 min.) and remove the shell.

Pull out the roots of the bean sprouts because it looks cleaner this way.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces (same as French fries but thinner) and then fry them so that they are not dark but crispy.

Cut the white noodles into 3-4 inch pieces (with a scissor) and fry them, they will look like prawn crackers.

Cut the boiled chicken breast into small pieces to serve with the bone.

So, it’s time to sift the broth and reserve.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the rest of the chopped onion and garlic. When the garlic and onion are golden, not too dark, take them out and set aside.
Fry the chicken breast (in pieces) in the oil and when it is a light golden color, remove it.

Serve hot!

Put the bowls of soup on the table and add to each bowl:

1 or 2 tablespoons of cooked white rice,

1 boiled egg

some bean sprouts,

fried minced chicken breast,

mixed fried onion and garlic

French fries and white noodles

and decorate it with slices of celery

Lastly, pour the boiling soup into the bowls, start eating the soto and if you like you can add salt, soy sauce and don’t forget the sambal.

Eat at once. The bean sprouts will become limp and watery if they sit for more than 10 minutes.

Enjoy!