SAOTO (SOTO AYAM).

SAOTO (SOTO AYAM).

A chicken - soup dish originally from Java, Indonesia but with a typical Surinamese touch; it is served in every warung (Indonesian restaurant) in Suriname.

Saoto is usually served with some side dishes that you can add, according to taste.

As is the case with most Surinamese dishes, soato is spicy and if you like you can add the sambal (very hot Cayenne - pepper condiment); only for those who dare!

Ingredients: serves 4 (four) persons.

2 (two) quarts water.

1 (one) lbs chicken breast.

9 (nine) oz. white vermicelli.

2 (two) big cloves of garlic.

2 (two) normal potatoes.

2 (two) dry daun salam leaves.

0.18 oz. dry or fresh laos.

9 (nine) oz. bean sprouts.

2 (two) twigs soup greens for the sweet taste.

0.07 oz. black- or white pepper.

1 (one) onion.

3 (three) grains pimento.

4 (four) eggs.

1 (one) fresh or dry twig lemon grass.

0.35 oz. kecap (sweet - or salt soy sauce).

4 (four) chicken bouillon cubes.

Salt.

Vegetable - or corn oil.

Cooking instructions:

* Start with boiling the water, introduce in this the chicken breast, laos, crushed pimento, black- or white pepper, one chopped garlic, halve chopped onion, daun salam, lemon grass and the chicken bouillon cubes.

Boil for about 30 minutes or till the chicken breast is tender and take this out of the bouillon.

* Peal the potatoes and slice this into the smallest pieces (French fried style).

Cook the eggs hard because we need these whole (if you wish, take out

the egg - yellow).

Cut the white vermicelli in pieces of four inches (with scissors).

Chop the soup greens and put this in a cup; slice the rest of the onion and garlic.

Fry the rest of the sliced onion and garlic.

When the garlic and onion are brown, take them out and place in a small cup.

Fry the chicken breast in the oil and when this is light brown, take it out; sift out the chicken breast and place it also in a cup.

Don't forget to fry also the potatoes and the white vermicelli.

Mix the potatoes and white vermicelli in the same bowl.

Pull the roots of the bean sprouts out because it's looks cleaner this way and place in a cup.

* The soup always must be served hot!

Put the 4 (four) bowls on the table and for each bowl you scoop out:

First the potatoes and white vermicelli, the bean sprouts, the sift out chicken breast, - the mixed fried onion and garlic and the soup greens.

For the soup topping we use the cooked eggs.

Now you can scoop the boiling soup into the bowls, start to eat the saoto and if you like, you can add salt, kecap (sweet - or salt soy sauce) and the sambal!