The Recipe · No.723 · Soto Ayam

Soto Ayam, and Where to Source It

The color and depth come from frying the spice paste first: turmeric, garlic, shallot, and candlenut cooked in oil until it darkens and smells toasty before it goes into the broth. Skip that fry and stir raw turmeric into the pot and the soup tastes flat and dusty instead of golden and fragrant.

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Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep25 min
Cook45 min
Makes4 servings
CuisineIndonesian
Part One
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Whole chicken
Simmered for the broth and shredded back in. A pasture-raised bird makes a richer stock.
1 (3-4 lb)
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Turmeric and garlic
The fried spice paste base; fresh turmeric gives the brightest gold. Fry it until toasty.
to taste
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Lemongrass and lime leaf
Bruised lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf perfume the broth. Fresh, bought local.
3 stalks
Local / market
Glass noodles
Soaked and coiled into each bowl before the broth. Springy and light.
6 oz
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Eggs and bean sprouts
Boiled egg and raw sprouts for the topping, with fried shallots. Fresh.
to taste
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One list, with a link to where to buy each one.
Part Two
The Method
  1. Simmer the chickenPoach the chicken with lemongrass and lime leaf into a clean broth, then shred the meat.
  2. Fry the pasteGrind turmeric, garlic, shallot, and candlenut, and fry the paste in oil until dark and fragrant.
  3. Build the brothStir the fried paste into the strained broth and simmer so the flavors meld and the color deepens.
  4. Assemble bowlsCoil noodles in bowls with sprouts and shredded chicken, ladle the hot broth over, and top with egg, fried shallots, and lime.
Part Three
The Toolkit

Stock pot · Mortar · Fine strainer

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