Name: Soto Ayam Madura (Indonesian Chicken Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 pounds (908g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, see notes; 1 teaspoon white peppercorns; 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds; 10g candlenuts or unsalted macadamias (about 4), crushed, see notes; 5 medium cloves garlic (25g), peeled; One 1-inch piece fresh ginger (about 3/4 ounce; 21g), peeled and chopped; 2 teaspoons ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or sunflower; 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and lightly bruised with the blunt side of the knife and tied into a knot (see notes); 3 fresh makrut lime leaves, crumpled; 4 ounces (113g) mung bean noodles, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and cut into 4-inch segments, drained and rinsed; Kosher salt, to taste; 4 ounces mung bean sprouts (113g; 1 cup); 2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered; 2 green onions, green and white parts, chopped; 1/4 cup chopped Chinese celery leaves (see note); 2 tablespoons fried shallots, homemade or store-bought; 2 1/2 cups plain lightly salted potato chips (3 ounces; 85g); Kecap manis, for serving; Chile paste like sambal oelek, for serving; 2 large limes, cut into wedges, for serving

Soto Ayam Madura (Indonesian Chicken Noodle Soup)

Soto ayam Madura is an Indonesian chicken noodle soup fragrant with turmeric, coriander, lemongrass, and makrut lime leaves.

1 hr 10 min total 10 min prep 1 hr cook 4 853 cal

Instructions

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1 For the Soup Base: In a 6-quart pot, combine chicken and 2 quarts (1.9L) water and bring to a boil over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
2 For the Spice Paste: Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind peppercorns and coriander seeds into a coarse powder.
3 In the bowl of a food processor, combine ground peppercorns and coriander seeds with crushed candlenuts or macadamias, garlic, ginger, ground turmeric, and salt. Pulse until thick paste forms, about 2 minutes, using a flexible spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. (Spice paste should have the texture of cooked oatmeal; if at any time the paste stops moving in the food processor, add oil or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it starts moving again.)
4 To Finish: Using tongs, remove chicken from pot and transfer to a plate. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Shred meat and set aside. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain soup base into a 2-quart or larger liquid measuring cup or a large bowl. (You should have about 6 cups soup base; top up with water if necessary. Pour soup base into a clean 4-quart pot and discard the bones.
5 In an 8-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, and lime leaves, and fry until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 1 minute. Add mixture to soup base and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until flavors meld, 30 minutes. Season with salt, adding more if necessary.
6 Divide shredded chicken, noodles, mung bean sprouts, eggs, green onion, celery, and shallots among 4 bowls. Pour 1 to 1-1/4 cup hot soup into each bowl. Just before serving, shower with crushed potato chips. Serve with kecap, sambal, and limes.