Indonesian Turmeric Chicken Soup (Soto Ayam)
A golden turmeric chicken soup with lemongrass, lime leaves, bean sprouts, and boiled egg, brightened with lime.
Soto ayam gets its color and much of its character from turmeric, ground into a paste with shallots, garlic, and candlenut and simmered with the chicken until the whole broth turns a deep golden yellow. Every region in Indonesia seems to have its own version, but the warm, aromatic base is what they all share.
Turmeric and the other aromatics here — lemongrass, lime leaf, ginger — are part of the reason a soup like this often gets reached for by people managing joint stiffness or general inflammation, and simmering a whole chicken in the broth keeps the meat lean while giving the soup real body. Bean sprouts and a boiled egg round it into a full, satisfying meal.
Squeeze fresh lime over the top right before eating — that last bit of acidity is what makes the golden broth really sing.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs — skin removed
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbsp fresh turmeric — grated, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 2 stalks lemongrass — smashed
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 3 eggs — hard-boiled and halved
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lime — cut into wedges
- 0.25 cup fried shallots — for garnish, optional
These ingredients are common at South Asian grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Blend or pound the turmeric, garlic, and shallots into a rough paste.
- 2Heat the oil in a pot and fry the paste 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- 3Add the chicken, water, lemongrass, and lime leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- 4Remove the chicken, shred the meat off the bone, and return it to the pot. Stir in the fish sauce and season to taste.
- 5Divide bean sprouts among bowls, ladle the hot soup over, and top with halved eggs, fried shallots, and a squeeze of lime.