"SOTO AYAM MEDAN" SUMATRA AUTHENTIC FOOD

Yesterday, I hosted some friends on my Father's 10th day death commemoration at my apartment in Lincoln NE, USA. My family also did the same ceremony back home (in Banda Aceh-Indonesia) on the same day. For the event, I decided to cook a chicken soup called "Soto Medan". Alhamdulillah, surprisingly the soup resulted many positive comment from some friends. One of my friend from Tunisia, Imen, asked me the recipe of the soup coz she loved it. Oh.. well then let's share to everyone :)

For your information Soto Medan is very easy to make. The only concern is that prepare yourself to go shop at the Asian Store and Arab Store coz you will need to buy some ingredients from there. So.. here is the recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Whole Chicken, cut into 4 or 8 (If you only eat halal or kosher labeled chicken/ meat you can find it at the Arab Store or any store sells kosher meat. I know some super saver store sell halal chicken and I knew whole food sells kosher chicken and meat )
• Salt
• Sugar
• Chicken broth cube (about 1-2)
• Oil to fry about 5 table spoon
• 3 medium bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inch long)
• 1/4 tea spoon nutmeg powder
• 1 littre or more water 
• 1 can (450 ml) coconut milk (I like to use the Aroy D coconut milk for dessert from Asian store but you can use any coconut milk)
• 3 green onion (slice)
• some celery leaves (chop)
• Fried Shallot 

Spice Paste (mix with food processor):

• 10 shallot
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1.5 inch ginger
• 1.5 inch galangal
• 1/2 inch of turmeric or 1 table spoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (stir on a hot pan without oil)
• 1 teaspoon pepper seeds (stir on a hot pan without oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (stir on a hot pan without oil)
• 5 candle nut (stir on a hot pan without oil)

Additional Ingredients:

• Homemade fried potato chips
• Bean spout
• chilly paste (from thai chilly)
• lemon/lime juice
• Sweet soy sauce (find Indonesian brand hehehe)

Method:

1. Heat up the oil and add all the bay leaves and cinnamon stick followed by the spice paste. stir the ingredients until it smells good. 
2. Add chicken, salt, a little sugar and chicken broth cube and then add water. Boil until the chicken cooked.
3. Take out the chicken, separate the bones. Take the bones back into the soup. Then shred the chicken (you can fried the chicken before shred it)
4. Into the soup, add coconut milk and maybe water (if needed) and add more salt. Boil the soup and stir it until it well boiled. and done
5. Prepare in a bowl shredded chicken+fried potato chips+bean sprout+pour the soup+sliced celery and green onion+fried shallot

and.. your soto medan is ready :)