Soto Ayam — Indonesian Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Chicken Thighs
• 8 cups water
• Spice paste: 3 shallots + 4 cloves garlic + 1 tbsp ginger + 1 tsp turmeric + 1 tsp coriander, blended
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised (or strip of lemon zest)
• 2 lime leaves or bay leaves
• 4 oz glass noodles or vermicelli, soaked
• Add-ins: boiled egg halves, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, fried shallots, lime, sambal

Method

1. Fry the spice paste in oil until it smells golden and loses its raw edge, 4–5 minutes — Indonesia's rule: the paste must 'break' before liquid arrives.
2. Add the water, lemongrass, lime leaves, and Chicken Thighs. Simmer 25 minutes until the chicken is done (165°F); shred it back in.
3. Season the broth boldly with salt — it should glow yellow and taste layered.
4. Set the table soto-style: noodles in bowls, broth and chicken over, then the add-in parade.
5. Every eater builds their own: egg, sprouts, cabbage, fried shallots, lime, sambal to taste. The soup is the stage; the toppings are the show.