Soto Ayam

This is one of the most difficult dish i've ever attempted and so far, i've made it twice only. This recipe is from my sister in KL. She can just read out the long list of ingredients to me over the phone. However, i have to say, it is worth the effort. It is best eaten during Autumn/Winter weathers like now or when you are down with a cold. It's the Asian version of the American chicken soup and it taste so wonderful, the aroma lingering around the whole house and around the neighbourhood and i always get compliments and hints from neighbours about the wonderful aroma and btw, when is my next party. Haha.

Chicken wings, drumsticks or breasts. (cook in 1.5 ltr water to obtain stock)
1 chicken boullion
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 cinnamon bark
3 star Anise
4 cloves
1 can coconut milk 400ml
carrots, roughly chopped
celeries, chopped
tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tsp lemon juice
pinch of salt


Ingredients to grind
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 stalk lemongrass (cut off top half and discard, use only bottom half)
2 slices galangal
2 slices ginger (or 1 tsp minced ginger)
1 tsp tumeric powder
4 shallots
3 cloves garlic


Garnish
Deep fried shallots
shredded omellete
Spring onions, chopped finely.


Method
Boil the chicken in water, add salt. Take out the chicken pieces for use later. If you are using breast meat, peel the meat into strip and put aside. Save the chicken stock.

In a deep pot, add cooking oil. Add cinnamon bark, star anise and cloves and fry for 1 minute. Add the pounded/grounded ingredients. Fry till fragrant. Add 1 litre stock and bring it to a boil. Boil a while longer and strain/sieve the stock into another pot, discard the leftover residue in the strain/sieve. Add in carrots and tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then add tomatoes and a dash of lemon juice and pinch of salt. Adjust taste.

Dish out soup into a serving bowl and top with shredded omellete, chicken strip, deep-fried shallots and and spring onions. You can even add cooked macaronis or cooked yellow noodles to this dish.