Soto Ayam

Ingredients:

• 1 free-range chicken, about 3 pounds, quartered
• 2 stalks fresh lemon grass, bruised with the handle of a heavy knife and tied in a knot
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 5 shallots, peeled and halved
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh turmeric, or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 ounces glass noodles or thin dried rice noodles, called vermicelli, bihun or bun
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves, mint, Thai basil or cilantro leaves
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced and fried in vegetable oil until brown (optional)
• Quartered limes and chili paste (such as sambal) for serving
• Cooked white rice (optional).

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a medium pot with lemon grass, lime leaves (if using), salt and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes, skimming as needed to make a clear broth. Remove chicken pieces from broth and set aside. Remove and discard lemon grass and lime leaves; reserve stock in pot. When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred meat into bite-size pieces.
2. Meanwhile, combine peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a small food processor. Pulse until ground. Add halved shallots, garlic, turmeric and ginger and pulse to a thick paste. (Add a little water if needed.)
3. Heat peanut oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. When very hot, add spice paste and cook, stirring until paste is cooked and beginning to separate from the oil, about 5 minutes.
4. Add cooked spice paste and chicken meat to stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
5. Cook noodles according to package directions.
6. Turn off heat under soup and stir in lime juice. Taste for salt.
7. To serve, divide noodles in large soup bowls. Ladle chicken pieces and soup on top and sprinkle with celery leaves or herbs, and fried shallots, if using. Pass lime and sambal at the table.
8. Eat from soup bowl, or serve a scoop of rice on a side plate, sprinkled with more shallots, and put a mouthful of noodles and chicken on rice. Combine on a spoon, dab with sambal, and eat.

*This recipe for 4 servings.

(Source: nytimes.com)

Sop Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup Recipe)

Ingredients :

• 1 Chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 liters Water
• 1 tablespoon Margarine
• 5 Shallots, finely sliced, fried
• 1/4 Nutmeg, bruised
• 2 Cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 200 g Potatoes, peeled, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
• 150 g Carrots, sliced, shaped into flowers
• 2 Spring onions, cut into small pieces
• 1 spring Chinese parsley, knotted
• 4 Cabbage leaves, cut 2 X 2 cm
• 50 g Snow peas, cut both ends
• 100 g Frozen or fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon Flour, mixed with a little water
• Salt
• Fried shallots

Methods :

1. Simmer chicken in a covered pot until tender.
2. Remove the chicken and separate meat from the bones.
3. Cut the chicken meat into 1 cm cubes.
4. Heat margarine and sauté shallots, nutmeg, cloves, pepper and garlic.
5. Add to the boiling stock.
6. Add potatoes, carrots, spring onions and Chinese parsley.
7. Just before removing from heat, add cabbage, snow peas, peas and flour paste.
8. Simmer until cooked and season to taste.
9. Garnish with fried shallots and serve hot.

(Source: asianonlinerecipes.com)

Soto Madura

Ingredients:

• 500 gr beef or internals
• 100 gr bean sprouts
• 80 gr rice noodles
• 60 gr parsley
• 60 gr scallions
• 60 gr ginger
• 1 lime
• salt and pepper.

Directions:

1. Boil meat until done. Drain and cut into bite-sized slices.
2. Remove the tails of bean sprouts, boil until half done
3. Boil rice noodles separately
4. Keep these in separate plates
5. Cut Indonesian parsley and scallions
6. Grind shallots, and brown it for a little bit
7. Skin and cut ginger
8. Make beef stock using beef bones boiled in water for about an hour. Remove bones, and put in salt, pepper, ginger, and shallots.
9. Serve the soto by putting the beef, bean sprouts, noodles into a bowl. Pour soup into it.
10. Sprinkle with parsley and scallions.

(Source: indo.com/restaurants/recipe)

Rawon (Diced Beef in Black Sauce Soup)

Ingredients:
300 gr. beef brisket, cut into 2 cm cube
2 bay leaves
4 kaffir's lime leaves
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
2 cm galangal (laos), bruised
salt and pepper to taste
6 glasses of water (1.5 liters)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil

Spice Paste Ingredients:
4 small shallots
2 cloves garlic
4 candlenuts
3 kluwek, take out the nut meat only
2 red chilies

Garnish:
100 gr. short beansprouts
Basil leaves

Directions:

• Heat 2 Tbs. oil and stir-fry the spice paste for a minute or two.
• Add bay leaves, kaffir's lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass, salt and pepper. Stir-fry until fragrant.
• Add the beef cubes and stir fry for a minute.
• Meanwhile, heat water in a large pot and add the stir-fried beef cubes and cook on low heat until the meat is tender and flavor of the spices have been absorbed.
• If the water level dropped too much, add hot water.
• Serve with beansprouts and basil

*This recipe makes 3-4 servings.

(Source: melroseflowers.com)

Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup)

Ingredients:

• 1 piece (2-3 lbs.) oxtail
• water
• salt
• 200 gram carrots, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 5 green onions, sliced diagonally
• 3 stalks chinese celery, thinly sliced
• 1½ tsp. white pepper
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 Tbs. cloves
• 3 Tbs. fried shallots

Directions:

1. Cut oxtail into round shapes and then put them in a large pot filled with water. Pour in some salt as you like and boil until the pieces of oxtail become very tender. This could take up to 3-4 hours of boiling time. Pour in some more water when needed until they become tender.
2. Once they are tender, make sure that you have enough broth (± 6-8 cups). If not enough, pour in some more water.
3. Bring it to a boil again. Afterwards, put in the chopped carrots, sliced tomatoes, green onions, celery, white pepper, cloves and nutmeg. Boil again until everything is well cooked.
4. Ready to serve. Pour some fried shallots on top of the soup while serving.

*This recipe makes 6 servings.


Tip:

Add approximately 1 lb. of beef sirloin or tenderloin to add some flavor to the soup.

(Source: melroseflowers.com)