A soup, and more, of many different names
Soto Banjar
Banjarmasin, a frequent port of call of Chinese and Middle Eastern ships in Kalimantan, has a uniquely spiced version of soto.
1. Soak 25 g glass noodles in 100 ml hot water, drain and set aside. 2. Peel and slice two boiled eggs. Boil 500 g chicken breasts in 1 lt water until tender, shred and set aside. 3. Grind 30 g shallots, 5 g garlic, 15 g fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp fennel, 1/2 ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 2 tsp salt or to taste. 4. Stir fry in 2 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic. Put into the stock and let come to a boil. 5. Add 250 g peeled, cubed potatoes. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. 6. To serve: arrange in a suitable bowl 1 Tbs shredded chicken meat, 1 Tbs soaked glass noodles, 2 sliced boiled eggs and pour in the stock. Sprinkle with 1 tsp crisply fried shallot slices and 1 tsp local celery leaves.
Serve with sliced ketupat (rice cakes cooked in palm leaves), lontong or, when available, typical Banjarmasin ketupat cooked in a thin cloth. (makes 6 servings.)
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Soto Sokaraja
The inhabitants of Sokaraja in Central Java are adventurous in spicing their dishes, and their variety of soto has gained many fans. The aromatic soto is now going urban in Jakarta.
1. Boil 500 g beef in 1 1/2 lt water until tender. Cut into rather large cubes or slices. Set the stock aside. 2. Grind 60 g shallots, 20 g garlic, 20 g candlenuts, 10 g turmeric and 10 g ginger. Stir fry in 3 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic and add 15 g peeled, bruised galangal, 2 stalks lemon grass and the meat. 3. Pour in the stock and season with 11/2 tsp salt or to taste.
* For the sambal: Grind 100 g roasted peanuts, 40 g red chilis, 40 g shallots, 10 g garlic. Stir fry in 2 Tbs cooking oil. Add 1 tsp salt, 20 g brown sugar, 100 ml water and 1 Tbs tamarind juice. Continue cooking until thickened.
* Serve with the condiments: 150 g blanched mungbean sprouts, 300 g blanched glass noodles, 100 g fried soybean, rice crackers and sprinkle with 3 Tbs crisply fried shallot slices.
(6 servings)
* * * Soto Padang
Chilis have to be present in most spicy-hot Padang dishes and the soto of West Sumatra is no exception. The perkedel potato fritters are legacies of the Dutch frikadellen.
1. Boil 1 kg beef in 3 lt water until tender and about 1 lt of stock remains. 2. Cut the boiled beef into small strips and cube 200 g boiled offal. Stir fry 100 g shallots, 60 g garlic and 60 g ground red chilies in 2 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic and put into the stock. 3. Add 2 tsp vinegar, 2 Tbs sweet soy sauce, 5 tsp ground pepper and 2 tsp salt or to taste, bring to a boil. 4. Add 200 g chopped tomatoes, 60 g chopped leek and 60 g chopped local celery leaves. Continue cooking for a minute or two and strain. 5. Arrange the beef, offal and 10 potato fritters (made from mashed potato, egg yolks, pepper and salt, flattened in small rounds, then coated with beaten egg whites and deep fried) 50 g fried glass noodles and 150 g sliced tomatoes in a suitable bowl. Then pour in the stock. 6. Sprinkle with 100 g chopped local celery leaves and 100 g chopped leek.
(Makes 10 servings)
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Soto Bandung
The inhabitants of Bandung are noted for their satisfying dishes full of herbs and green leafy vegetables. Aromatic lemon grass is one of the mainstays of their version of soto.
1. Cube 250 g beef offal and bring to a boil in 1400 ml water. Add 2 stalks of bruised lemon grass and 1 tsp salt. 2. Clean and slice 150 g radish. Soak 50 g soybeans in hot water for about 30 minutes, drain and fry in 100 ml cooking oil until crisp and brownish. Set aside. 3. Grind 20 g garlic and 10 g fresh galangal. Stir fry in 1 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic. Pour into the stock. Season with 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 2 tsp salt or to taste. Continue cooking until the offal are tender. 4. Mix 250 g ground boiled cassava with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground pepper. Form into balls, fry until brownish.
To serve: arrange in a suitable bowl slices of ketupat (steamed rice cakes), blanched mungbean sprouts, fried cassava balls, radish and pour in the stock. Sprinkle with fried soybean. Serve with a sambal of cabai rawit (green chilis), sliced lime, melinjo crackers and fried chicken meat shreds, or a whole fried chicken drumstick or breast.
(Makes 5 servings)
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Soto Babat
Babat (tripe), whether from oxen or water buffaloes, is frequently used to be made into a rich tasting stock, and is a favorite meal across the country.
1. Boil 150 g cleaned tripe in 600 ml water until tender. Or use ready to boil tripe which can be obtained from quality supermarkets. 2. Cut the boiled tripe in thin stripes and put back into the stock. Grind 50 g shallots, 20 g garlic, 10 g fresh ginger, and 1/2 tsp ground pepper. 3. Stir fry in 1 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic and add to the stock. Season with 1 tsp salt or to taste. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Just before serving sprinkle with 1 Tbs chopped leek, white parts only, 1 Tbs chopped local celery leaves and 1 Tbs crisply fried shallots slices.
(Makes 2 servings)
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Soto Ayam
The most famous of all soto, it's warming and satisfying and can be enjoyed anytime!
1. Cut 500 g chicken breasts into serving sizes and bring to a boil in 1500 ml water until tender. Set aside. 2. Grind 20 g garlic, 25 g roasted candlenuts, 10 g fresh turmeric, 10 g fresh ginger and 10 g galangal. 3. Stir fry in 2 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic and put into the stock. Let come to a boil. Add two salam leaves, a purut lime leaf and a stalk of bruised lemon grass. * Season with 1 tsp salt or to taste and 1/4 tsp ground pepper. To serve: put the soto in a suitable bowl and sprinkle with 1 Tbs chopped leek, 1 Tbs chopped local celery leaves and 2 Tbs crisply fried shallot slices. (Makes 6 servings)
Soto Kertosono
Most male inhabitants of the small town in East Java are hobby cooks and Kertosono is the birthplace of many a settled Indonesian chef working in star hotels. The local soto is indeed worth tasting.
1. Boil 500 g mutton or mutton ribs in 1 ltr water until tender. Cube or slice the meat and halve the ribs. Put them back into the stock, simmer. 2. Grind 60 g shallots, 20 g garlic, 10 g fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp fried terasi (fermented shrimp paste), 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and 1 tsp ground pepper. Stir fry in 2 Tbs cooking oil until aromatic. 3. Add 2 stalks bruised lemon grass, 15 g bruised galangal, 3 purut lime leaves, 8 cloves and 25 cm cinnamon stick. Add to the boiled mutton and bring to a boil. 4. Pour in 600 ml thick coconut milk whilst stirring to avoid the coconut milk from curdling and season with 1 tsp salt or to taste. 5. Continue cooking over medium flame until done. Just before taking from the flame, sprinkle with 1 Tbs chopped chives. Serve with cucumber pickles (made by slicing or cutting 100 g cucumber, 100 g shallots and 50 g red chilies). 6. Mix with 1 Tbs granulated sugar, 1 Tbs vinegar and a pinch of salt or to taste. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
(makes 4 servings)
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