Soto Ayam (Yellow Chicken Soup)

Put the chicken in a large pot with the water, bring it up to a bare simmer and skim off the grey foam that rises in the first ten minutes.

While it simmers, blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, ginger and turmeric into a smooth paste with a splash of water.

💡 Fresh turmeric stains everything it touches — hands, chopping board, blender jug. Wear gloves if that bothers you, and wash the blender immediately.

Fry the paste in oil over medium heat for 5–6 minutes with the bruised lemongrass, lime leaves and salam leaves, until it darkens slightly and smells cooked rather than sharp.

💡 This is the step people rush, and it is the whole difference between a fragrant soto and one that tastes faintly of raw onion. Wait until the oil visibly separates and runs clear at the edge of the pan.

Tip the fried paste and all its aromatics into the chicken pot. Simmer gently, uncovered, for about 40 minutes.

Lift the chicken out, let it cool enough to handle, then pull the meat off in shreds and discard the skin and bones. Return the bones to the pot if you have another 20 minutes.

💡 Shred with your fingers, not a knife. Torn edges hold broth; sliced ones shed it.

Season the broth with salt until it tastes right on a spoon on its own. Strain it if you want it crystal clear.

Build each bowl: a nest of softened noodles, a handful of raw bean sprouts, shredded chicken, half a boiled egg.

Ladle the hot broth over the top, then finish with a heavy scatter of fried shallots and chopped celery leaves. Lime and sambal go on the table.