Chicken soto is one of Indonesia's culinary specialties that is famous for its deliciousness. This dish is rich in spices that provide a deep taste and an appetizing aroma. In this article, we will discuss how to make delicious chicken soto, complete with steps, ingredients, and important tips to make the resulting soto even more delicious. Let's see!
Getting to Know Chicken Soto
Before we go further into the making process, it is important to understand what soto ayam is. Soto ayam is a soup made from chicken meat cooked with various spices. Each region in Indonesia has different variations of soto, such as Soto Madura, Soto Lamongan, and Soto Betawi. However, in general, soto ayam is known for its yellow and fresh broth.
In its making, chicken soto is usually served with rice, sliced eggs, and accompaniments such as crackers and chili sauce. Let's discuss the ingredients for making chicken soto.
Ingredients for Chicken Soto
To serve delicious chicken soto, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chicken: 1 chicken, cut into several pieces
- Ground spices:
- 6 cloves of shallot
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 cm jahe
- 2 cm turmeric
- 2 stalks of lemongrass, take the white part
- 4 candlenuts
- Other spices:
- 2 lime leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp pepper powder
- Salt to taste
- Complement:
- 200 grams of rice
- 2 boiled eggs
- Crackers and chili sauce to taste
- Sliced spring onions and celery
With these ingredients, you are ready to start the process of making delicious chicken soto.
How to Make Chicken Soto
Making chicken soto is quite simple, and here are the steps you can follow to serve it perfectly:
1. Boil Chicken
The first step in how to make chicken soto is to boil the chicken. Put the chicken pieces into a large pot, add enough water and boil until the chicken is cooked and tender. Usually, this process takes about 30-40 minutes.
2. Grind the spices
While waiting for the chicken to cook, prepare the spices. You can use a blender or pestle to grind the shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and candlenuts. Once smooth, you can prepare the other ingredients.
3. Saute the spices
Once the spices are ready, heat a little oil in a pan. Saute the spices together with lemongrass, lime leaves, bay leaves, and pepper powder until fragrant. This sauteing process is very important because it will bring out the distinctive aroma of the spices.
4. Combine Gravy
After the spices are sauteed, add the previously boiled chicken stock into the pan. Stir well, then add salt to taste. Cook the stock until it boils and all the spices are well absorbed.
5. Serving Soto
Once the soup is cooked, prepare a bowl for serving. Add rice, chicken pieces, and then pour over the soto sauce. Garnish with sliced boiled eggs, spring onions, celery, crackers, and chili sauce to taste.
Tips to Make Chicken Soto More Delicious
To ensure that the chicken soto you make is even more delicious, here are some tips that might be useful:
- Use quality chicken: Choose fresh chicken to make the soto taste more delicious.
- Boil using low heat: Cooking on low heat helps keep the meat tender and produces a richer gravy.
- Let the soto sauce soak in.: After all the ingredients are mixed, leave the soto soup covered for a while so that all the flavors can blend together.
- Adjust the seasoning: Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste. If you like a spicier taste, add cayenne pepper when sauteing the spices.
Interesting Chicken Soto Variations
Chicken soto is not just one dish, but also has many variations that you can try. Here are some of them:
Lamongan Chicken Soto
Soto ayam Lamongan is famous for its yellow broth and the addition of koya (cracker powder mixed with garlic and oil). Adding this koya will give a distinctive savory taste to the soto broth.
Betawi Chicken Soto
Betawi chicken soto has a thicker sauce and uses coconut milk. The addition of coconut milk makes this soto richer and creamier, and gives a softer taste on the tongue.
Madurese Chicken Soto
Madura chicken soto is usually served with ketupat. The taste is spicier because of the use of more chili and the presentation with abundant garnishes.
Chicken Soto Complement
Chicken soto is usually served with several accompaniments that make it even more special. Here are the accompaniments you need to prepare:
- White rice or rhombus: As a filling carbohydrate.
- Boiled eggs: Provides additional protein.
- Shrimp crisp: Adds texture and flavor when eaten.
- Sambal: Add spicy taste according to taste.
- Cereals and chives: As a decoration and additional fresh taste.
Nutrition Contained in Chicken Soto
Chicken soto also has nutritional value that is beneficial for health. Chicken meat is a good source of protein, while the spices used provide anti-inflammatory properties, as well as supporting the immune system. Consuming chicken soto with vegetables and accompaniments can meet your daily nutritional needs.
By following the steps above, you can easily make delicious and tasty chicken soto. Enjoy this Indonesian specialty with family and friends, and feel the warmth. Good luck!
