Soto Ayam Kuning (Yellow Chicken Soup)

I know you want a bowl of this hearty, energizing Soto Ayam Kuning (Yellow Chicken Soup) to warm the cold days. We were snowed in and this classic soup with soothing spices and herbs was a great comfort to us.

Soto Ayam Kuning is only one of many regional variants of many Soto (soup) from Indonesia. During the cold month, our body craves nourishing nutrients so much and this soup delivers that. Lemongrass, ginger, coriander, garlic and lots of shallots make such a beautiful energizing broth! Turmeric with its many benefits gives that golden colour and healing boost! Even cooking the aromatics lightens up the mood in my kitchen.

Traditionally we pound the spices with mortar and pestle to release the spice’s aroma and oil. They are done to a porridge-like consistency with everything combined harmoniously. It is no secret that heat and fat unlock the spice’s full potential. So the next step of shallow frying the spice is absolutely crucial! It is gently cooked until most of the moisture evaporates, yielding a concentrated paste. Once the paste is cooked, we introduce protein with their bones to simmer with the paste for some time, then add water to cook the meat until it is fork-tender. For extra rich and delicious broth, meat is separated from the bones and set aside. The bones are added back into the broth to release their collagen and all their goodness. I collect bones from previous dishes and normally, throw them in the pot for deeper broth!

The soup is then served with some hard-boiled egg, mung bean sprout and vermicelli, with lots of fried shallots, and a garnish of green onions/celery leaves to your liking! Yes, we eat our soup with steamed rice, and we can’t miss sambal/ chillies! If you are extra like me, and many of my peeps, some potato fritters (perkedel) are a traditional accompaniment for this soup.Thanks to the modern inventions of the food processor, spice grinder and instant pot I can share a shortcut for this recipe that is so convenient for you. Best of all you can make batches of the paste and freeze it for when the craving for this soup hits you! Sounds like a plan? You can find the recipe below!