Soto Ambengan

Another favorite menu, soto. This soto is famous not only in its origin, Surabaya, East Java. But also all over Indonesia. The difference of this soto compares to the other is, the use of koya (crushed shrimp crackers). It is really a good stuff I'm telling you. Do not skip the crushed crackers, if it is hard for you to find it in your grocery store, try to search at the nearest Asian Store in your city. They might have it.

Ingredients

- 1 free range chicken (Indonesian: ayam kampung), cut into 6

- 2  liter water

- 3  lemongrass (Indonesian: sereh), bruised and knotted

- 10 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk)

- 2 tablespoon oil

- Salt n pepper

- 1 tsp sugar

Grind the following into spice paste

- 12  shallots

- 6 cloves garlic

- 6 candlenuts, pan roasted

- 4 cm of fresh turmeric, pan roasted

- 2 cm ginger

Koya (shrimp crackers powder), grind the following together

- 4 large shrimp crackers 

- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, deep fry until crispy and golden brown

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

  

Garnish and accompaniments

100 gram glass noodle

100 gram cabbage

100 gram bean sprout (optional)

4 hard boiled eggs

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 bunch Chinese celery, thinly sliced

lime wedges

boiled chili sauce

Instructions
Soto
1. Boil the chicken and water, simmer for at least 30-45 minute
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, and sauté spice paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, until fragrant. Transfer the cooked spices into the chicken soup
3. Season the soup with salt, pepper and sugar
4. Turn off the heat, remove the chicken from the soup, tear the meat into small shreds with your hands. Set the chicken meat aside.

Garnish and accompaniments
1. Soak the glass noodle in cold water until soften, then blanch in boiling water until fully transparent.
2. Thinly slice the cabbage to make cabbage shreds, then blanch in boiling water.
3. Wash the bean sprout, then blanch in boiling water

To serve
1. Arrange boiled glass noodle, cabbage, chicken meat, and egg in a serving bowl. Top with some soup and some koya. Garnish with sliced scallion and Chinese celery. Serve with boiled chili sauce and lime wedges.