AFF Indonesia - Soto Ayam Ambengan

Unfortunately, this will be my last post for AFF Indonesia. I wish a month is not only thirty days LOL There are still so many Indonesian dishes I'd like to share with you. Well, it's not restricted to AFF event only anyway. You'll always see me posting Indonesian dishes from time to time in the future :)

Okay, this soto ayam is slightly different from soto ayam Kudus I ever shared sometime back
Soto ayam Ambengan is from East Java while soto ayam Kudus is from Central Java
What makes soto Ambengan special is the prawn garlic powder (poyah) sprinkled on the soto right before serving. Yum yum...

FYI, there are still a few different kinds of soto ayam from both East and Central Java. Hopefully slowly I can share them, too. I guess it shouldn't be too difficult since my family and I love soto :)

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:

For the soup:
1 free range chicken, cut as desired
5 stalks lemongrass, discard the green part, lightly pounded
10 lime leaves, tear
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2,5L water
2 tbsp oil to sautee

Grind til smooth:
15 shallots
8 cloves of garlic
6 candlenuts, fry without oil for awhile
1 tsp turmeric powder
2cm old ginger

For the chilli paste:
7 red chillis (you may add bird's eye chilli if you prefer real hot)
1 clove of garlic
salt, sugar

For the poyah:
20g prawn crackers (ready to eat)
1 tbsp crushed fried garlic
a pinch of salt

Garnish:
3 hard boiled egg, sliced
150g cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 stalk of spring onion, finely chopped
50g bean vermicelli, soak til soft

Prepare all the ingredients in the serving bowl

Pour the soup over and sprinkle poyah

 

 

Method:

1. Boil water and chicken in a large pot
2. Heat oil in a wok. Sautee grinded ingredients, lemongrass, lime leaves til fragrant. Add into chicken stock. Add in salt and sugar. Bring to boil and simmer til chicken soft
3. Scoop out chicken and pan fry for awhile
4. To make the chilli paste: Boil chilli and garlic til soft. Drain. Add in salt and sugar to the chilli. Blend but not til smooth
5. Serve the soup with chicken, all the garnishes, poyah and chilli paste

Mix it all up after adding chilli paste... So refreshing. Nom nom nom...

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Indonesia, hosted by me, Alice from I Love. I Cook. I Bake