Soto Banjar Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 1 kg)
• 2 liters water or chicken stock
• 3-4 tbsp cooking oil

For Ground Spices:

• 8 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 cm ginger
• 1 cm fresh turmeric (or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder)
• 4 candlenuts, toasted
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

For Aromatic Spices:

• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 3 bay leaves
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 cm galangal, bruised
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 nutmeg (or 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder)
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (approx. 5 cm)

For Garnish & Serving:

• Shredded chicken (from boiled chicken)
• 100g glass noodles (soun), soaked in hot water until soft, drained
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
• Fried shallots
• Sliced spring onions
• Sliced celery
• Lime wedges
• Sambal (chili sauce)
• Ketupat or steamed rice (as accompaniment)
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare Chicken Broth: Clean the chicken thoroughly. In a large pot, bring 2 liters of water to a boil. Add the whole chicken and cook until tender, about 45-60 minutes. Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred the meat. Set the shredded chicken aside. Strain the chicken broth and keep it.
2. Prepare Ground Spices: Grind shallots, garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric, toasted candlenuts, black peppercorns, and cumin into a smooth paste using a blender or mortar and pestle.
3. Sauté Spices: Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the ground spice paste and sauté until very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the bruised lemongrass, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves, bruised galangal, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Continue to sauté until the spices are thoroughly cooked and the oil separates, about another 5-7 minutes.
4. Combine with Broth: Transfer the sautéed spices to the strained chicken broth in the pot. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to fully meld. Season with salt and sugar to taste.
5. Prepare Accompaniments: While the soup simmers, prepare the garnishes. Soak glass noodles in hot water until soft, then drain them well. Quarter the hard-boiled eggs. Prepare fried shallots, sliced spring onions, and celery.
6. Assemble and Serve: To serve, place a portion of shredded chicken, soaked glass noodles, sliced spring onions, and celery into individual serving bowls. Ladle the hot Soto Banjar broth over them. Garnish generously with quartered hard-boiled eggs and a sprinkle of fried shallots. Serve immediately with lime wedges, sambal, and ketupat or steamed rice on the side.