This succulently tender poached chicken soup with aromatic lemongrass, ginger, turmeric and delicate glass noodles finished with a soft-boiled egg, mild sambal and fresh lime will have everyone asking “Is there any more?”.

This week’s instalment of my winter warmers is an absolute cracker of a dish. This soup is very mild without the added sambal at the end, which means this recipe is for everyone. It’s packed full of nutrition, and is a flavour explosion sure to please both your little people and the young at heart. While it's not the quickest to make, the time spent in the kitchen, trust me, will be well worth it.
Did you know? ‘Soto Ayam’ or Indonesian chicken soup has its roots far back in time. Deep in the forest in the humble kitchens of ancient Java, a remarkable aromatic dish called Soto Ayam was born. Legend has it that it was the creation of a wise old village elder who possessed a deep medicinal understanding of herbs, spices and chicken broth. Combining the fragrant lemongrass, the warming ginger, and the golden hue of turmeric, he concocted a soup that would become a symbol of comfort and nourishment. Word of this extraordinary soup spread like wildfire throughout the land, captivating the tastebuds of kings and commoners alike. As Soto Ayam made its way across borders and generations, each region added its own unique touch. Some added coconut milk, others kaffir lime, making it a culinary masterpiece in its own right. Through the passage of time, Soto Ayam became more than just a dish. It became a symbol of cultural heritage, a testament to the diverse flavours and traditions of the Indonesian archipelago.
Chef Dylan’s tips 1. Head to YouTube to see how to cut a whole chicken into 4. It's a very easy but worthwhile skill to learn. 2. Be sure to make the paste. This ensures a layered, flavour packed soup. 3. Be careful not to over poach the chicken, this will result in dry meat. 4. Get creative with toppings to mix it up by adding bean shoots, bamboo shoots, coconut milk, fried shallots or even fresh tomato.
Memory Lane, Sandakan, Borneo 2009
As we exit our one-star ramshackle hotel, the tropical moisture laden air envelops me, instantly gluing my small rucksack to my back. Descending down the stairs into the bustling street, we merge with the throng of people heading west. Sandakan is a small seaside port on the northeast side of Borneo, and we are here to see the elusive Orangutang. Glancing around, I’m saddened to see the streets are filthy, and the architecture reflects a Soviet style functional drudgery. Five-storey concrete blocks line the streets in all directions without a thought to make them even somewhat appealing to the eye.
Trudging on, the pungent perfume of open sewers mixed with cigarette smoke and a hint of rotting fish, wafts through the air as we look for somewhere to have breakfast. We pass a fabric shop where, out on the pavement, an elderly worker is hunched over an ancient ‘Singer’ sowing machine. He rhythmically pumps a pedal back and forth, sending the needle up and down like a piston as he masterfully manoeuvres the fabric. Continuing on, we soon stumble across a small dimly-lit establishment. Intrigued, we enter and I’m instantly glad we did as the fragrance of fresh lemongrass, garlic and ginger causes me to inhale deeply with delight. The place is bustling with locals who completely ignore us while they happily slurp on steaming bowls of some mystery noodle soup.
A young girl, no more than ten years old with long jet-black hair tied in a ponytail, intelligent deep chestnut-coloured eyes, donning an oversize white apron and wearing bright pink crocs appears and gracefully places two steaming bowls of mystery noodle soup down in front of two bespectacled well-dressed businessmen. One of them looks up, and with a warm smile encourages us to take the empty seats next to them. The girl acknowledges me with a slight blink of her delicate almond shaped eyes before a bellowing, ear piercing scream of “HUUUUUYEEEEEEEEEEN" reverberates through the whole place, instantly causing her to spin on her heel and rush back to the kitchen.
Startled, I look around and to my amazement no one seems to skip a beat, continuing to shovel in noodles between spoonfuls of soup. Sensing my bewilderment, the businessman turns to me and whispers in perfect English “That’s her mother, the chef and owner”. “Oh” I reply, whispering back “Will she bring back a menu?” He lets out a belly laugh. “No” he says shaking his head “There is only one thing on the menu” he points his chopsticks down to the still steaming bowl in front of him. “It smells and looks amazing” I add... “What’s it called? “Soto Ayam” chimes in his raven-haired companion. “They are famous for it too! Best in Borneo! You’re lucky to get a seat” he adds, whilst simultaneously wiping some stray soup from his chin.
Serves 4, Prep 25 mins, Cook 40 mins
Ingredients:
·      1 whole 1.2 kg chicken, cut into 4 pieces, plus frame
·      2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
·      4 kaffir lime leaves
·      Thumb size piece of ginger, peeled
·      8 cloves of garlic, chopped
·      1/2 red onion, finely chopped
·      4 tbs washed coriander stems, chopped
·      2 teaspoons turmeric powder
·      2 teaspoon coriander powder
·      1 teaspoon cumin powder
·      1 tsp black peppercorns
·      1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
·      2 litres chicken stock
·      100g vermicelli rice noodles, cook according to package instructions
·      4 soft boiled eggs, halved
·      1/4 bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped
·      Lime wedges, for serving
·      Sambal olek
Method
1.      In a mortar and pestle, bash up the onion, garlic, ginger, coriander stems for 5 mins to form a rough paste. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin powder, peppercorns
and salt. Continue to bash it up for another 5 mins to combine fully.     
2.      In a large pot, on medium-low heat add some oil and fry off the paste for 5 mins, stirring.
3.      Add the chicken pieces and frame, lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves.
4.      Pour in the chicken stock and bring
to a boil.
5.      Reduce the heat to low, whack on the lid and let the soup simmer for about 25 to 30 mins, until the chicken is just cooked.
6.      Remove the chicken from the soup and set aside to cool down for 10 mins. Once cooled, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and discard the bones.
7.      Strain the soup to remove the solids, then return the soup to the pot. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
8.      To serve, divide the cooked rice noodles, and warm shredded chicken among
4 serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the ingredients.
9.      Garnish each bowl with halved soft-boiled eggs, and chopped coriander.
10.  Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the soup, and a teaspoon of Sambal olek for those whole like a dash of heat.