Soto Ayam Kuning(Indonesian Chicken Soup) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 oz. Cellophane noodles*
2 1/2 lb. chicken pieces
1/2 c. coarsely chopped celery leaves
1 medium size onion, peeled and cut into quarters
8 c. water
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
2 blades fresh lemon grass, tied together in a knot* or 1 strip lemon rind
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. finely grated ginger root
1/2 tsp. turmeric
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 hard-cooked eggs, the whites finely chopped and the yolks passed through a fine sieve
1 scallion (green part only)
16 c. water
1 1/2 lb. dried navy beans, washed and picked over
1 lb. smoked ham hocks
2 to 3 large carrots, grated
2 c. chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh tomatoes, chopped (optional topping)
onions, chopped (optional topping)

Preparation

Heat the water in a large pot until hot, but not boiling. Add the beans and ham hocks and adjust the heat so the water barely bubbles. Simmer slowly, covered, for 3 hours, stirring occasionally, and adjusting the heat if necessary to keep the liquid from boiling. Remove the ham hocks and remove the meat from the bones. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and discard the bones. Using a potato masher, roughly mash the beans in the kettle. The soup should be lumpy. Return the meat to the pot. If the soup seems too thin, boil, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the soup has thickened slightly. Saut the onions in a heavy skillet in the butter over moderate heat until richly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the browned onions to the soup and continue to cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 8 to 10.