Soto Ayam (Bee Hoon)

Ingredients :

200 gm thai shallots 

100 gm brown onions

2 bulbs garlic

5 slices ginger

2 inches lengkuas (sliced)

3-4 lemon grass, bruised

1.5-2 tsp turmeric powder

1.5 - 2 tsp salt

1.8- 2 ltr water

1 - 1.5 tbsp sarawak black peppercorn

2 stick cinammon

4-5 star anise

5-8 nos cardamon

1 tbsp coriander powder

3/4 -1 tbsp garam marsala

1 whole chicken (abt 1 kg), or ayam kampong (Better still if u use ayam tua - more flavor, crunchy skin and clearer stock)

bay leaf (optional)

(** if you choose not to use garam marsala, substitute with more more cinamon, star anise, coriander seeds and cardamom)

Condiments: Chinese parsley (Yim Sai), Chinese celery (Kan Choy/ Daun Sup), Spring Onions, Blanced Beansprouts, sambal chilli**, fried shallots.

Method :

1. Grind shallots, onions & garlic.

2. Heat 2 tbsp oil and sweat the grinded shallots mixture. Add in lengkuas, ginger, turmeric, salt, cinammon, anise and marsala.

3. Add water, followed by lemongrass, peppercorn (andd bay leaf)and bring to boil.

4. Simmer for 1/2 hour (covered) before adding in whole chicken. Once boiling, simmer for another 20 min under low heat.

5. Remove chicken from stock and run through tap water to cool.

6. Remove flesh and shred the flesh and set aside. 

6. The remaining bones and skin may be put back into the stock and further simmered for 10-15 minutes.

7. Serve it hot in a soup plate with either ketupat, Noodles or Beehoon topped with some beansprouts, parsleys, celery and bring onions, fried shallts and grinded chilli.

**Will add in the recipe for the grinded chilli in next post.