My Special Food

Soto ayam (Indonesian chicken noodle soup)

• Ingredients

• 1.4kg whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces
• 2L (8 cups) water
• 2 stems lemongrass, quartered
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 French shallots, finely chopped
• 5cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbs rice bran oil
• 100g pkt bean thread vermicelli noodles
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, quartered
• 65g (1 cup) bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

• Method

1.  Step 1

Place the chicken in a saucepan. Add the water, lemongrass, lime leaves, half the garlic and salt. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Transfer the chicken to a plate, reserving the poaching liquid. Cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

2. Step 2

Use a mortar and pestle to pound French shallot, ginger and remaining garlic until a coarse paste forms. Add the cumin, ground coriander and peppercorns. Pound until peppercorns are coarsely crushed. Stir in turmeric.

3. Step 3

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the French shallot mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes or until aromatic. Add reserved poaching liquid. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes to develop the flavours. Strain through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Season.

It's simple recipe.. So lets try it :)