Soto Kudus
Soto Kudus
The recipe
Soto Kudus is the signature soup of Kudus, a small town in Central Java known for its kretek cigarettes and its chicken soto. The dish is clear, aromatic, and built on a chicken-and-bone broth with a spice paste of garlic, shallots, candlenuts, coriander, and a touch of turmeric for color. The defining feature: it's lighter than Soto Betawi (no coconut milk) and less spiced than Soto Makassar, but the broth is intensely savory and aromatic. The dish is served with rice, bean sprouts, shredded chicken, celery, fried shallots, and a sambal that diners add to taste. The town of Kudus is the spiritual home of Soto Kudus, and the dish has spread across Java and beyond.
Ingredients
Method
💡 Tips from the kitchen
- ·Soto Kudus is light and aromatic. Don't over-spice it.
- ·The sambal is essential — diners add it to taste.
- ·Best eaten the day it's made. The broth loses its clarity overnight.
The story
Did you know?
🇮🇩 Indonesia has 17,000+ islands — only 6,000 are inhabited.
Cook it yourself
Soto Kudus is one of Indonesia's heritage dishes. Want to try the recipe at home?
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