A combination of thin beehoon/bihun 米粉 with slices of chicken served with a rich soup based made using peppercorn, lemongrass, galangal, candlenuts, cumin seeds and many other spices. The soup is everyone’s favourite part of Ayam Soto, that’s for sure! This dish is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and is commonly known as ‘Mee Soto’ (thick yellow noodles is used in place of rice vermicelli). Topping it up with sambal chilli, fried shallot and coriander for an added taste to this dish. This recipe has been lovingly contributed by home cook Anne Leong.
Indo-Style Bee Hoon Ayam Soto
Ingredients
1 packet fine rice vermicelli 400g, soaked as per packaging instructions
50 g beansprouts
4 chicken whole leg
4 chicken wings
2 large chicken bones
1 large purple onion, peel and sliced
2 large chicken bone
1 chicken stock cube
2 l water
15 pcs green chilli padi
Spice Paste
100 g garlic, peeled
170 g shallots, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 candle nut
35 g fresh turmeric, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 tsp cumin seed, toasted and pounded / 3 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander seed, toasted and pounded / 3 tsp coriander powder
4 thumb size galangal, sliced
4 slices fresh ginger, peeled and cut into small pieces
100 ml water
Dry spice
6 lime leaves
3 turmeric leaves
4 pcs dried bay leaves
2 lemongrass, pound the white part
2 tsp peppercorns, pound finely
Seasoning
Salt
Sugar
Garnish
Fried shallots
Spring onions, cut into small pieces
Coriander leaves, cut into small pieces
Instructions
Step 1: Blend the spices and cook the soup
1
Add spice paste ingredient into the Kenwood food processor to chop it into fine pieces.
2
In a pot, heat up 4 tbsp oil. Add in the blended ingredients and sliced onions. Stir fry till the fragrance releases.
3
Add in the dry spices. Cook till fragrant releases and it turns to a darker yellow.
4
Add in water and chicken stock cube. When it starts to boil, add in the chicken bones, chicken legs and wings. Allow it to boil.
5
Turn to medium heat and let the soup simmer for at least an hour. Do check the pot every 15 mins, add in water as required.
6
Remove the chicken leg and wings from the pot. Set aside to cool. Shred the meat and return the bones to the soup. Allow it to simmer for another 1 hr over low heat.
7
Season the soup with salt and sugar. Switch off the flame, cover and keep it warm.
Step 2: Prepare the fragrant chilli paste
8
Add the chili padi into the blender. Skim the oil from the soto soup and add it into the blender. Blend till a smooth paste is formed.
Step 3: Blanch the vermicelli and bean sprouts. Garnish and serve.
9
In a pot of boiling water, blanch vermicelli and bean sprouts. Separate them into a serving bowl.
10
Top it up the shredded chicken and garnish.
11
Heat up the soup and pour it into the bowl. Serve with green chili.
