Soto Ayam Lamongan with Koya

Method

1. Put the peeled and halved shallots, garlic, candlenuts and sliced ginger in a dry pan and roast over medium heat for 6 min, turning them now and then, until charred in spots and softened. Add the whole coriander seeds for the last minute and toast until fragrant. Roasting gives the broth a gentle smokiness and sweetness.

   Add in this stepShallots 6Garlic cloves 4Candlenuts (kemiri) or macadamia nuts 3Fresh ginger 10 gWhole coriander seeds 1 tsp

   medium heat

2. Blend the roasted aromatics with the turmeric, white pepper and a splash of water to a very fine paste.

   Add in this stepGround turmeric 1 tspGround white pepper ½ tsp

3. Heat the oil in a 22 cm soup pot, lay the chicken legs in skin side down and sear over medium heat for 6 min, until the skin is golden and plenty of fat has rendered. Turn for 1 minute more, then move them to a plate. They are only browned at this point, not cooked through.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1 tbspWhole chicken legs, bone-in and skin-on 550 g

   medium heat

4. Fry the spice paste in the chicken fat left in the pot over medium-low heat for 6 min, until it darkens and the oil separates at the edges. Add the bashed and knotted lemongrass, sliced galangal, lime leaves and bay leaves and fry for 1 minute more.

   Add in this stepLemongrass stalks 2Galangal 12 gMakrut lime leaves 4Bay leaves (in place of salam leaves) 2

   medium-low heat

5. Return the chicken to the pot, add the water, salt and sugar and bring to the boil over high heat. Skim off the foam, then turn down to low heat, set the lid ajar and simmer very gently for 45 min. A surface that only shivers now and then is the secret of a clear, rich broth.

   Add in this stepWater 1,400 mlSalt 1½ tspSugar ¾ tsp

   high heat→low heat

6. Koya: slice the koya garlic 1–2 mm thin and put it in a small pan with the cold oil, then set over medium-low heat. Fry for 3 min, stirring, and lift out the moment it turns pale gold; brown garlic tastes bitter, and it keeps cooking after you remove it. Keep any water away from the oil. Grind the cooled garlic with the prawn crackers to a fine powder in a blender or mortar. Sambal: boil the chilies and the sambal garlic in water for 3 minutes, drain, pound with the salt and loosen with 1 tablespoon of broth.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves for the koya 4Neutral oil for frying the garlic 60 mlPrawn crackers (krupuk) 20 gBird's eye chilies for the sambal 5Garlic clove for the sambal 1Salt for the sambal 1 pinch

   medium-low heat

7. Bring a 16 cm small pot of water to the boil over high heat, lower in the eggs and boil for 10 min, then cool in cold water and peel. Soak the glass noodles in hot water for 5 min and cut them, blanch the bean sprouts for 30 seconds and shred the cabbage very finely.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Mung bean glass noodles (soun) 40 gMung bean sprouts 80 gWhite cabbage 80 g

   high heat

8. Lift out the chicken, shred it roughly and discard the bones. Put noodles, cabbage, sprouts, chicken and a halved egg in each bowl and ladle over piping hot broth. Sprinkle generously with koya; it melts into the broth and makes it nutty and slightly thick. Top with celery leaves and serve with rice, lime and sambal.

   Add in this stepHot steamed rice 300 gCelery leaves, chopped 2 tbspLime 1