bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Aisyah Llewellyn

Soto ayam soup is slurped, munched and thoroughly enjoyed across Indonesia on a daily basis, its chicken and noodles, soft-boiled eggs and abundant spices a source of national pride as well as nutritional deliciousness.
In the Sinar Pagi restaurant in Sumatra’s city of Medan, a 60-year-old man called Fery has been making the soup for 20 years for both regular customers and one-offs, selling around 600 bowls a day on weekends, and maybe more than a million overall.

Even presidents enjoy his culinary creations; former leader Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono savoured a bowl of Fery’s version of the soup, while Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ordered soto to go, apparently eating it in his hotel room.
While the taste buds of two presidents and countless other Indonesians have for a long time been nicely tickled by the piquant broth, many others around the globe might also now give it a try after its inclusion on CNN Travel’s list of the world’s 20 best soups.
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Five other soups from Asia were also mentioned: beef pho from Vietnam, China’s Lanzhou beef noodle soup, mohinga from Myanmar, tom yum goong from Thailand and tonkotsu ramen from Japan.
There is, of course, much debate about which soup is the best. After all, there are so many to choose from.

“Every culture has some kind of soup,” Janet Clarkson, author of the book ‘Soup: A Global History’, told CNN. “It’s got very ancient roots.”
Early humans simmered ingredients like turtle shells and bamboo in water to make palatable soup, meaning anyone consuming a steaming bowl is partaking in an ancient form of nourishment, added Clarkson.
Soup has a very broad definition, she said, and can be boiled down to something as simple as “just some stuff cooked in water. With the flavoured water becoming a crucial part of the dish”.
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Exactly what stuff, and exactly what flavour, though, are of crucial importance to many. “Soup is one of the main food choices in Asia,” said Arie Parikesit, the founder of the Kelana Rasa Food and Beverage Consultancy in Indonesia.
“In countries with various seasons including the rainy season and winter, warm food is a good choice to heat the body. We can find a variety of soup on this continent. In Indonesia we have famous chicken soups and oxtail soups. Our neighbours also have a variety of soups that have gone global,” said the culinary guide who leads food tours across Southeast Asia.
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He said some soups are awash with herbs, spices and seasonings like coriander leaves, lemongrass, galangal root, chilli and fish sauce. “Our soups are filled to the brim,” said Parikesit of Asian soups, a factor he believes sets them apart from those found in other continents.
And Asia’s soups are often more than just a means for people to fill their stomachs, he noted, as soup is closely linked to cultural identity and Asians are proud of their culinary roots.
“Soto is not just food for Indonesians, it has become a comfort,” said Parikesit. “Soto is the way to enter Indonesians’ hearts.”

Back in Medan’s Sinar Pagi restaurant, which opened in 1960, 29-year-old owner Vera is the founder’s granddaughter and proud of her roots. “We are the oldest in the area and have become legendary in Medan,” she said.
“We are competitive because of the different spices we use and the coconut milk in our soto to make the soup thick and creamy. That’s what makes our soto so delicious.”


Traditionally, soto uses a blend of ingredients like turmeric, star anise, lemongrass, cinnamon and lime leaves. Chefs having the patience to simmer the soup for hours likely helps too.
Parikesit said soto is popular because of its variety and versatility; dozens of versions exist around Indonesia.
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“In general, soto is divided into clear soto, yellow soto and coconut milk (or milk) soto, and some use ground peanuts. Different kinds of protein can be used such as chicken, beef and offal, other unique kinds of soto use duck, fish and even pork,” he said.
Soto is also enjoyed in Singapore and Malaysia and even in South America’s Suriname, where it apparently arrived with Javanese immigrants. The soup can be personally adapted by diners through condiments including chilli paste, pickles and crushed prawn crackers.

In the kitchen, though, one secret to success could be secrecy. In between chopping and stirring in Medan for yet another soto masterpiece, Fery would not be drawn on detailing all the different spices he uses.
“There are so many, you would run out of space on your notepad if you wrote them all down,” he said with a smile.


‘Souperb’! Asia’s soups no flash in the pan as 6 make world’s best 20 list

Fery, 60, on another busy day in Indonesia’s Medan cooking a variety of dishes including soto ayam soup. Photo: Aisyah Llewellyn 

Fery, in the Indonesian city of Medan, has been feeding customers in the Sinar Pagi restaurant for 20 years, two presidents among them. Photo: Aisyah Llewellyn

A bowl of Indonesian soto ayam soup. Photo: Aisyah Llewellyn

Vera, third generation owner of the popular Sinar Pagi restaurant in the Indonesian city of Medan, soto ayam soup a customer favourite. Photo: Aisyah Llewellyn

A bowl of Myanmar’s mohinga soup. Photo: Shutterstock

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Indonesia’s soto ayam, Vietnam’s beef pho, Myanmar’s mohinga and Japan’s tonkotsu ramen among CNN Travel’s favourite soups
Fery, 60, has been making soto ayam in the Indonesian city of Medan for 20 years, slurping presidents among his customers



Indonesia’s soto ayam, Vietnam’s beef pho, Myanmar’s mohinga and Japan’s tonkotsu ramen among CNN Travel’s favourite soups.


‘Souperb’! Asia’s soups no flash in the pan as 6 make world’s best 20 list

Indonesia’s soto ayam, Vietnam’s beef pho, Myanmar’s mohinga and Japan’s tonkotsu ramen among CNN Travel’s favourite soups Fery, 60, has been making soto ayam in the Indonesian city of Medan for 20 years, slurping presidents among his customers

Indonesia’s soto ayam, Vietnam’s beef pho, Myanmar’s mohinga and Japan’s tonkotsu ramen among CNN Travel’s favourite soups

Fery, 60, has been making soto ayam in the Indonesian city of Medan for 20 years, slurping presidents among his customers