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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 7 cups Vegetable stock
  • 6 stalks lemon grass, bruised
  • 8-10 Kaffir Lime leaves
  • 2 inch piece of fresh turmeric or 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 8 shallots or sambar onions
  • 16 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch galangal
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 3 candlenuts (optional)
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (if not using candlenuts)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 3-4 red chillies (increase or decrease as suited)
  • 2 tablespoon soyasauce
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 boiled eggs
  • 100 grams glass noodles or vermicelli noodles, cooked as per manufacutres instructions
  • 100 Grams Bean Sprouts
  • 1 small bowl cooked rice( sticky or small-grained)
  • Spring onions, chopped (to garnish)
  • Fried onions (to garnish)
  • Coriander, chopped (to garnish)

Method
 

  1. Boil together vegetable stock, fresh turmeric, lemon grass stalks, kaffir lime leaves, teared before adding to the stock. Allow it to boil gently for 10 minutes until the herbs have infused the stock well.If it is difficult to find candlenuts, add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the simmering stock.Dry roast the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds until fragrant.The next step is to prepare the spice paste. In a mixer add the shallots, 8 cloves of garlic, galangal, ginger, roasted coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, white pepper, candle nuts (if using). Grind all of these to a smooth paste.You may use some water or vegetable stock to aid grinding of the paste.In a heavy bottom pan add oil and fry the paste until it turns light brown and becomes fragrant.Add the vegetable stock to the fried paste. Cook till it comes to a boil. Add salt to taste and turn of the flame. The broth for Soto is ready.A chilli sauce that accompanies the Soto is to be prepared by grinding to a smooth paste the chillies, garlic, soya sauce, sugar and salt.The bean sprouts need to be immersed in hot water for 1 minute and removed immediately.Cut the boiled eggs in to half.To serve the Soto, in a large soup bowl place 2 tablespoons of rice, some noodles, 1boiled egg, bean sprouts and pour the hot Soto broth on it.Add a teaspoon of prepared chilli-sauce.Garnish with spring onions, fried onions and coriander.Enjoy hot

Notes

You may increase or decrease the amount of lemon grass stalks and Kaffir lime leaves. The chillies also can be adjusted according to personal preference. Vegetable stock can be replaced by chicken stalk and shredded chicken can also be added to the soup. The amount of broth in each serving would also depend on personal choice. Since I like more broth the picture here reflects my preference.