Soto is Indonesia's great family of soups, and soto ayam, chicken soto, is the one that started in Java and spread to every corner of the archipelago and well beyond, as far as Suriname. Each town seems to claim its own version: Lamongan sprinkles it with koya, a powder of crushed shrimp crackers and fried garlic; Kudus makes it with chicken or water buffalo; Madura serves it in a yellowish, almost transparent broth. What they share is a bright yellow broth, fragrant rather than heavy, and a bowl that the eater finishes building at the table with lime, sambal and crackers.

In Yogyakarta a full bowl is a classic breakfast, and elsewhere it turns up at lunch and supper too, sold from street carts and small warungs. In 2018 soto joined the five national dishes. For a race weekend it is the dish for the long morning session: the broth can be made the day before, and everyone assembles their own bowl, which is as close to a strategy call as most kitchens get.

The poached chicken and broth

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) bone in chicken pieces
• 10 cups (2.4 liters) cold water
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 piece, 1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh galangal
• 4 makrut lime leaves
• 2 salam leaves
• 2 teaspoons fine salt

The spice paste

Ingredients

• 6 shallots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 piece, 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) fresh turmeric
• 1 piece, 1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger
• 3 candlenuts
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) vegetable oil

The koya

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup (30 g) krupuk (shrimp crackers)

The bowls

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 4 oz (115 g) glass noodles
• 2 cups (200 g) fresh bean sprouts
• 2 green onions
• 1 handful celery leaves
• 4 tablespoons fried shallots
• 2 limes
• 1/4 cup sambal

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