Indonesian chicken soup
Indonesian chicken soup
This is a wonderfully flavored yellow soup base, often served with boiled quail eggs and chicken meat. Originated from Indonesia, this dish is popular among many Muslims for Iftar as the soup is thick and filling making it an appropriate dish to break the fast.
Ingredients
• 1.4kg whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces
• 2L (8 cups) water
• 2 stems lemongrass, quartered
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 3 French shallots, finely chopped
• 5cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons rice bran oil
• 100g pkt bean thread vermicelli noodles
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, quartered
• 65g (1 cup) bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
Directions
1. Place the chicken in a saucepan. Add the water, lemongrass, lime leaves, half the garlic and salt. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Transfer the chicken to a plate, reserving the poaching liquid. Cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
2. Use a mortar and pestle to pound French shallot, ginger and remaining garlic until a coarse paste forms. Add the cumin, ground coriander and peppercorns. Pound until peppercorns are coarsely crushed. Stir in turmeric.
3. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the French shallot mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes or until aromatic. Add reserved poaching liquid. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes to develop the flavors. Strain through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Season.
4. Cook the noodles following packet directions. Drain. Divide among bowls. Top with the chicken and shallot. Divide the broth among the bowls. Top with egg, bean sprouts and fresh coriander.
