Of Begedil and Mee Hoon Soto

There's an article about 40 Singapore Food We Can't Live Without, but I think they forgot to include in this one. Sort of a twist on normal chicken noodles, this adds the spice of the Malay culture ingeniousness to South East Asia and the well-loved potato cake done in such a way that it can just be a snack throughout the day (at least for me!).

My brother-in-law's mother comes from a small island in Indonesia and my sister has been very blessed because she is such a good cook! The pre-mix package was from my sister who bought it in Indonesia but one trick her mother-in-law shared with us was to fry the chicken before shredding it. I think it just makes this even better! I marinated the chicken with salt and turmeric powder before frying it though, sort of reminiscent of how the Malays will marinate the fish for nasi lemak.

Det här är en artikel om  40 Singapore Food We Can't Live Without, men jag tror att de har glömt nämna  den här rätten - Mee Hoon Soto och begedil. Det är en variation av kycklingnudelsoppa med tillägg av en malaysisk krydda från sydostasien. Du äter nudlarn med en friterade potatisbullar (begedil) och mer chili i soppan om du vill.

Min systers svärmor kommer från Indonesien och hon är en mycket duktig kock. Hon brukar fritera kycklingen innan hon strimlar den. Jag tror att den blir bättre om man gör så. Jag gjorde också det, men jag marinerade kycklingen först med lite gurkmeja och salt.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)
For the begedil
2-3 potatoes, peeled and boiled till soft
2-3 tablespoons of fried shallots
1 teaspoon of cornflour
1 egg, beaten
1 stalk of coriander/chinese celery, sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste

- Mash the potatoes thoroughly and add in the rest of the ingredients and half the beaten egg and mix it well.

Form into bite-size morsels and dip it in the rest of the beaten egg before shallow frying it. Set aside to be served with the mee soto.

For the chicken stock
two chicken thighs (including bones), cleaned, dried and marinate with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of salt
Rest of the chicken carcass without the breast meat
1 whole shallot, peeled
1 stalk of lemon grass, sliced into 2 cm sections
1 thick slice of galangal
1 garlic, peeled
1 Soto Ayam premix

For assembling
2 portions of mee hoon, soaked in water till soft
beansprouts, soaked in boiling water and set aside
1-2 chili padi, pounded or chopped finely, mixed with dark soy sauce
Fried shallots and sliced coriander/chinese celery for garnishing


Steps

1. Dry the chicken first before applying the marinade. Let it stand for about 30 minutes, then shallow fry the chicken. Set aside to cool before shredding. Cut out the bones of the chicken first, if you can.
   
   
   
   
   
2. With about 2 tablespoon of oil over medium heat fry the lemon grass, onion, garlic and galangal till it is fragrant. Add in the chicken carcass and add about 3 to 4 bowls of hot water. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes over low heat.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Shred the chicken while you are simmering the chicken stock. Add the premix during the last 10 minutes and adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
   
   
   
   
   
4. To serve, use a strainer to cook 1 portion of mee hoon for about half a minute in the boiling stock. Drain, place it in a bowl and place the shredded chicken pieces and bean sprouts over it before pouring the hot stock over. Garnish with fried shallots, coriander, chili and begedil. Eat it hot!