'Soto Kudus' soup, everybody's favorite

JAKARTA (JP): Among the most popular chicken-based fare in the whole country is soto Kudus which can be found in many food stalls and major restaurants.

Kudus refers to a small town in Central Java, where the recipes were originally concocted.

Soto Kudus * 1 chicken breast * 2 liters of water * 2 salam leaves * salt * 1/2 tsp cumin powder * 2 tbsp cooking oil * 4 cm galangal, crushed * 3 lemon grass stalks * 3 fresh kaffir lime leaves * 400 g beansprout, soaked in boiling water

Finely ground * 3 garlic cloves, crushed * 4 shallots, crushed * 1 cm ginger * 1 cm turmeric * 1/2 tsp coriander * 3 candlenuts

Serve with finely sliced fresh leek, lime juice and fried shallots.

(Makes 8 servings) 1. Boil chicken breast, salt, galangal, lemon grass, salam and kaffir lime leaves until the chicken is half-cooked leaving about 1.5 liters of broth. 2. Stir fry finely ground ingredients over medium heat until fragrant. Add cumin powder, stir well. 3. Add the fried mixture to the chicken broth. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breast. 4. Deep fry chicken breast over high heat until it is slightly brown. Place the fried chicken on tissue paper to absorb excess oil. Dice into small cubes. 5. To serve, place two tbsp of beansprout in a serving bowl, top with the chicken and drizzle with soto. Serve warm with lime juice.

Fried spiced chicken and liver * 750 ml water * 6 pieces of both chicken and liver * 3 garlic cloves, finely crushed * 2 cm turmeric, finely crushed * salt * 1/2 tsp cumin powder * 1/2 tsp coriander * 200 ml cooking oil

1. Place all ingredients in a pan and boil over a medium heat until tender. Set aside. 2. Deep fry chicken and liver until slightly brown. Serve warm with Soto Kudus. (Maria Endah Hulupi)