Peppery Clear Chicken Soup

0/4

Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run

Gather everything first, then follow the steps

Protein· 1

  • 2 skinless drumsticks (~160 g)160g

Vegetables· 6

  • 100 g daikon, chunks100g
  • 60 g carrot, chunks60g
  • ½ red onion40g
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed(staple)8g
  • 3 slices ginger(staple)8g
  • handful daun sup(optional)10g

Spices· 4

  • 1 tsp coarse black pepper(staple)2g
  • 1 star anise(staple)1g
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon(staple)1g
  • salt to taste(staple)2g

  1. Start the drumsticks in cold water, boil 2 min, discard the water and rinse off the scum.

    Why? Blanching removes blood and impurities — half of what makes the broth clear. The other half is skinless chicken: the skin is where the mamak oil slick comes from.

    Next up:Fresh 500 ml water; add ginger, garlic, onion, star anise, cinnamon and pepper. Simmer 10 min.

  2. 10 min · hands-free

    Fresh 500 ml water; add ginger, garlic, onion, star anise, cinnamon and pepper. Simmer 10 min.

    Why? Sup ayam's mamak identity comes from spices — star anise, cinnamon and plenty of black pepper — not MSG and oil. Spices are nearly calorie-free.
    10:00

    Next up:Add daikon and carrot; 8 more minutes until the daikon turns translucent and yields to a chopstick.

  3. 8 min · hands-free

    Add daikon and carrot; 8 more minutes until the daikon turns translucent and yields to a chopstick.

    Why? Daikon is the soup's invisible staple: big volume at 18 kcal/100 g, and once soaked with broth it satisfies like potato.
    08:00

    Next up:Salt to taste, shower with daun sup, bring the whole pot to the table.

  4. Salt to taste, shower with daun sup, bring the whole pot to the table.

    Why? The whole pot runs ~300+ kcal with ~30 g protein — the standard answer to 'I want something hot tonight without blowing the budget'.

    Tip: Hungrier? Add 50 g of rice — +178 kcal keeps it comfortably in budget.