Recipe for cooking Spicy Chicken Soup [Soto Ayam]

Learn the incredible receipt for making Spicy Chicken Soup which is otherwise know as Soto Ayam.

Serves 6

• 1·1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken
• 2 liters (4 pints/8 cups) cold water
• ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 5 sprigs celery leaves
• 2 large brown onions
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 salam leaves or 10 curry leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Garnishes

• 250 g (8 oz) egg noodles soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
• 8 spring onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons crisp-fried shallots
• potato crisps

Joint the chicken and put into a large saucepan with the cold water to cover. Add the peppercorns, celery leaves, 1 whole onion and salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to very low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken to cool in the liquid. When lukewarm, strain the stock into a bowl. Cut the chicken into small pieces and set aside, discarding the skin and bones.

Chop the remaining onion. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion with the salam leaves until the onion is soft and golden brown. Add the garlic, ginger, shrimp paste and ground spices. Crush the shrimp paste with the back of the frying spoon and after 1Ð2 minutes add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Bring the soup to the boil and drop in the noodles for 3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and ladle into a tureen. Garnish with the eggs, spring onions and fried shallots. Serve the soup with a separate bowl of potato crisps, which may be crumbled onto each serving of soup. For those who like it hot, offer a small bowl of sambal oelek on the side.

Submitted to RB by Aaditya