Name: Soto- the Indonesian Broth soup recipe by Sheetal Bhatt at BetterButter
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 7 cups Vegetable stock; 6 stalks lemon grass, bruised; 8-10 Kaffir Lime leaves; 2 inch piece of fresh turmeric or 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder; 8 shallots or sambar onions; 16 cloves garlic; 1 inch galangal; 1 inch ginger; 3 candlenuts (optional); 1/2 cup coconut milk (if not using candlenuts); 2 tablespoons coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 1 tablespoon fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon white pepper; 3-4 red chillies (increase or decrease as suited); 2 tablespoon soyasauce; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 teaspoon sugar; Salt to taste; 4 boiled eggs; 100 grams glass noodles or vermicelli noodles, cooked as per manufacutres instructions; 100 Grams Bean Sprouts; 1 small bowl cooked rice( sticky or small-grained); Spring onions, chopped (to garnish); Fried onions (to garnish); Coriander, chopped (to garnish)

ABOUT Soto- the Indonesian Broth soup RECIPE

Soto is the broth soup from Indonesia. The broth made with chicken stock is flavoured using fresh herbs, candle nuts and some spices. The fragrant and flavoursome broth is poured over the bowl of rice, vermicelli noodles, eggs, shredded chicken, bean sprouts etc, topped with chilli-ginger paste and garnished with spring onions, fried onions. Each region of Indonesia has its own version of Soto , thus it is known by many different names. Such high is the popularity of this street food that it is sometimes known as the national dish of Indonesia. Outside Indonesia, Soto Ayam (Soto Chicken) is the most popular version of this comforting soup. I have tried to create a meat less versions of this dish. Vegetarians can replace eggs with boiled potatoes.

Ingredients Serving: 4

7 cups Vegetable stock
6 stalks lemon grass, bruised
8-10 Kaffir Lime leaves
2 inch piece of fresh turmeric or 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
8 shallots or sambar onions
16 cloves garlic
1 inch galangal
1 inch ginger
3 candlenuts (optional)
1/2 cup coconut milk (if not using candlenuts)
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon white pepper
3-4 red chillies (increase or decrease as suited)
2 tablespoon soyasauce
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
4 boiled eggs
100 grams glass noodles or vermicelli noodles, cooked as per manufacutres instructions
100 Grams Bean Sprouts
1 small bowl cooked rice( sticky or small-grained)
Spring onions, chopped (to garnish)
Fried onions (to garnish)
Coriander, chopped (to garnish)

Instructions

Boil together the vegetable stock, fresh turmeric, lemon grass stalks, kaffir lime leaves, teared before adding to the stock. Allow it to boil gently for 10 minutes until the herbs have infused the stock well.
If it is difficult to find candlenuts, add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the simmering stock.
Dry roast the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds until fragrant.
The next step is to prepare the spice paste. In a mixer add the shallots, 8 cloves of garlic, galangal, ginger, roasted coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, white pepper, candle nuts (if using). Grind all of these to a smooth paste. (You may use some water or vegetable stock to aid grinding of the paste.)
In a heavy bottomed pan, add in the oil and fry the paste until it turns light brown and becomes fragrant.
Add the vegetable stock to the fried paste. Cook till it comes to a boil. Add salt to taste and turn off the flame. The broth for Soto is ready.
A chilli sauce that accompanies the Soto is to be prepared by grinding to a smooth paste the chillies, garlic, soya sauce, sugar and salt.
The bean sprouts need to be immersed in hot water for 1 minute and removed immediately.
Cut the boiled eggs in to half.
To serve the Soto, in a large soup bowl place 2 tablespoons of rice, some noodles, 1boiled egg, bean sprouts and pour the hot Soto broth on it.
Add a teaspoon of prepared chilli-sauce.
Garnish with spring onions, fried onions and coriander.
Enjoy it hot!

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