Entree: Suriname – Southern Culinary Region – Saoto Soup (Javanese-style spiced chicken soup from Suriname served with rice, bean sprouts, hard-boiled egg, fried shallots, and spicy condiments)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, about 3.5 lb (1.6 kg)
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered, about 8 oz (225 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed, about 1 oz (30 g)
- 2-inch (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, sliced, about 1 oz (30 g)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and halved
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp (6 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground white pepper
- 2 tsp (10 g) salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cups (400 g) long-grain rice, cooked
- 8 oz (225 g) bean sprouts, rinsed
- 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled, about 7 oz (200 g) total
- 1/2 cup (60 g) fried shallots (bawang goreng), plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup (30 g) roasted peanuts for koya or garnish
- 1/4 cup (30 g) fried garlic or onion, for grinding into koya (optional)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) kecap manis or 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce if unavailable
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sambal or chili paste, adjust to taste
- 4 lime wedges for serving
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- 1/2 cup (40 g) krupuk or shrimp crackers, optional

Instructions

1. Rinse the chicken and place in a large stockpot with 10 cups (2.4 L) water. Add onion, garlic, ginger, bruised lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, 1 tsp (2 g) salt, and bring to a gentle simmer. Skim foam and simmer 35–45 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
2. Remove the chicken to a cutting board to cool. Strain the broth into another pot, discard solids, and return broth to medium heat.
3. While chicken cools, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add turmeric and ground coriander, stirring 30 seconds until fragrant to bloom the spices. Stir this spice mixture into the simmering broth and adjust salt to taste.
4. Shred the chicken meat, discarding bones and skin if desired, yielding about 2–2.5 cups (450–575 g) shredded chicken. Reserve some larger pieces for bowls.
5. Prepare toppings: hard-boil and quarter or slice eggs; rinse bean sprouts and lightly blanch for 30 seconds if desired; chop scallions; warm cooked rice and crackers.
6. To make simple koya (optional): pulse roasted peanuts and fried garlic/shallot together in a small food processor to a coarse powder, about 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 g) per bowl as garnish.
7. Reheat the broth to a gentle simmer, then divide cooked rice among 4 bowls (about 1/2 cup cooked rice / 100 g per bowl). Top each with shredded chicken, a portion of bean sprouts, slices or quarters of hard-boiled egg, fried shallots, and a spoonful of koya or roasted peanuts.
8. Ladle hot broth over the contents of each bowl, finish with a drizzle of kecap manis or soy, a small spoon of sambal to taste, sliced scallions, a squeeze of lime, and krupuk on the side.
9. Serve immediately, allowing diners to adjust sambal, kecap manis, and lime to their preference.