Sop Ayam / Homestyle Chicken Soup with Vegetables

Ingredients:
• ½ chicken or 500 g (1 lb) chicken pieces
• 1 ½ liters (6 cups) water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced thinly across
• 2 tablespoons dried wood ear mushrooms (see note), soaked in hot water to soften, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoon dried lily buds, soaked in hot water to soften, drained, hard stems removed, tied into a knot (optional)
• 75 g ( ½ cup) cabbage, sliced
• 50 g ( ½ cup) snow peas, tips and strings discarded
• 2 spring onions, cut in 1 cm ( ½ in) lengths
• 2 stalks Chinese celery, cut in lengths
• 8-10 hard-boiled quail eggs, or 2 hardboiled chicken eggs, peeled and sliced
• 100 g (3 ½ oz) glass noodles, soaked in warm water to soften, cut in lengths
• 1 tablespoon sweet Indonesian soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Crispy Fried Shallots

Preparations:
1. Place the chicken, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 35 minutes
2. While the chicken is cooking, grind the peppercorns in a spice grinder until fine. Add the garlic and process to a coarse plate. Heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the spice paste and stir-fry over medium heat until golden brown. Add to the soup.
3. When the chicken is tender, remove and cool slightly, then cut the meat into 1 cm ( ½ in) cubes. Set aside.
4. Add the carrot to the soup, return to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the wood ear mushrooms, lily buds (if using), cabbage, snow peas, spring onion and Chinese celery. Simmer for 5 minutes until the vegetable are cooked.
5. Add the reserved chicken, quail eggs or chicken eggs, noodles and sweet soy sauce to the soup. Heat through, then serve in individual serving bowls, garnished with Crispy Fried Shallots.

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 30 mins.
Cooking time: 40 mins.

Recipe By : Periplus