Recipes › Soto Ayam

Soto Ayam

Soto ayam is the soup you find everywhere in Indonesia, from roadside carts to family kitchens, and every version is a little different. This one is the Javanese style: a clear yellow broth, aromatic rather than heavy, poured over noodles and topped at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, about 1.4 kg, or 1 kg chicken pieces
• 2 litres water
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 20 g fresh turmeric, peeled, or 1 heaped teaspoon ground turmeric
• 8 shallots
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 candlenuts or 8 macadamia nuts
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• To serve: 150 g rice vermicelli, soaked until soft
• 200 g beansprouts, blanched briefly
• 4 boiled eggs, halved
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• Fried shallots, lime wedges, sambal, and kecap manis

Method

1. Simmer the chicken with the water, bay leaves, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked through. Skim the surface as foam rises.
2. Lift out the chicken. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the skin and bones if you prefer a cleaner broth. Strain the broth and keep it hot.
3. Blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, fresh turmeric if using, ground coriander and white pepper into a smooth paste.
4. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the paste for 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat until it darkens and smells fragrant. This is the step that gives soto its colour and depth.
5. Stir the fried paste into the hot broth. Add the salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust.
6. Divide the vermicelli and beansprouts between four bowls. Add the shredded chicken and the egg halves.
7. Ladle the hot broth over the top. Finish with spring onions, fried shallots, a squeeze of lime and sambal to taste.

Notes and tips

• Skim the broth properly during simmering. The clarity of the soup is what separates a good soto from a muddy one.
• Frying the spice paste before it goes into the broth is not optional. Raw paste added straight to liquid tastes flat and raw.
• Ground turmeric works fine if fresh is unavailable, but use slightly less; it is more concentrated.
• The broth freezes well for up to three months. Freeze it without the noodles and toppings.
• Add the vermicelli at serving time only. Left to sit, it absorbs all the broth.

Questions

Can I make soto ayam with leftover roast chicken?

Yes. Use good-quality stock, add the fried spice paste, and simmer 15 minutes. Shred the leftover meat and add it at the end to warm through.

What are candlenuts and can I skip them?

Candlenuts are oily nuts used to thicken and enrich the paste. Macadamia nuts or cashews are the closest substitutes, and skipping them is acceptable, though the broth will be slightly thinner.

Is soto ayam the same as soto betawi?

No. Soto betawi uses coconut milk or milk for a rich, creamy broth. Soto ayam is clear and aromatic.

How spicy is it?

Not spicy at all by default. The heat comes from sambal added at the table, so each person sets their own level.

Cooked it? Tell us how it went on the contact page — corrections and regional variations are always welcome.