Soto Ayam (Indonesia)

This Indonesian style "chicken noodle soup" will cure all that ails you. I had this dish many times while visiting Indonesia and it is absolutely wonderful. Indonesians often have this soup for breakfast as it gives you a boost of energy before going about your day.
Tips: When using lemon grass, bang the back of your knife on the stalks to release the rich lemon flavor of the stalks. **Galangal, if you've never heard of it, is the thai cousin to the ginger we use in America. You can easily find it in any asian grocery store. It's not as pungent as our ginger, but yields an incredible taste when cooked in soups or used in salads.

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken breast meat, skinless and deboned (cut into small cubes)
1 stalk of lemon grass (cut into 3 strips)
1 can of coconut milk1 can of chicken broth
1 (8 oz.) glass of water

Spice Paste:
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
4 shallots (chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 pieces of turmeric (peeled and chopped) or 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
2-inch piece of **galangal (peeled and sliced)
2-inch piece of ginger (peeled and sliced)
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice

Other ingredients:

2 cups of sliced cabbages
2 cups of bean sprouts
1/2 pack of vermicelli or 1 small package of glass noodles
2 limes, cut into wedges
2 hard-boiled eggs (cut into wedges)
1 stalk of spring onion (chopped)

Preparation:

Blend the spice paste in a food processor. Add some water if needed. Pour some oil in a heated pot and add in the spice paste. Stir the spice paste and wait for it to turn light brown. Add in chicken broth, coconut milk, lemon grass strips, and water. Once the broth starts boiling, add in chicken breast cubes. Cover the pot and lower the heat and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Blanch beansprouts, pre-soaked vermicelli / glass noddles and cabbages in another pot of boiling water and transfer them into a bowl once they are cooked. Add in toppings of hard-boiled eggs, chopped spring onions and pour the hot chicken broth into the bowl.
Serve hot with lime wedges.