My mother is a big fan of Chef Wan! I think she has watched every cooking episode that comes onto Singapore TV that features him. I got a severe craving for Soto Ayam and in my donkey years in Perth I haven’t been able to find a restaurant that can quite get the balance of the spiced broth just right! This recipe is taken from Chef Wan’s cook book “The Best of Chef Wan: Taste of Malaysia.” This recipe still doesn’t beat the delicious Soto you get in East Coast Village in Singapore but, it will definitely scratch your itch if you’re craving it badly.
Ingredients
Olive Oil
Chicken 1-1.5kg, Cleaned & Halved
Water 2 L
Salt to taste
Dried vermicelli 55g
Spice Paste
Shallots 8, peeled
Garlic 3 cloves, peeled
Coriander powder 1 Tbspn
Lemongrass 2 stalks
Black peppercorns 1-2 Tbspn
Candlenuts 5
Galangal 1cm knob, peeled
Ginger 1cm knob, peeled
Ground white pepper 1 Tspn
Sauce
Chilli Sauce to taste
Dark soy sauce 4 Tbspn
Red Bird’s Eye Chillies 6, seeded and pounded
Lime Juice 1 Tbspn
Sugar 1 Tbspn
Instant Nasi Himpit (Compressed Rice)
Perkedel
Kalamansi Limes to serve
Fried Shallots as garnish
Spring Onions as garnish
Method
- Combine ingredients for spice paste in food processor. Ensure to blend until smooth. Set aside.
- To prepare the soup, heat oil in pot and fry spice paste for few minutes until fragrant. Then add Chicken, water and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove chicken once cooked and set aside till its cool enough to handle to shred the meat. Season the soup with salt.
- In another small fry pan, simmer the sauce ingredients for a few minutes then remove and leave to cool.
- Put shredded chicken meat back into soup and dried vermicelli.
- Pour soup into bowls and serve with Nasi Himpit, Perkedel and Kalamansi limes.
I Cook Coz Cocaine Is Illegal 