Simple Malaysian ABC Soup With Potato, Carrot, and Tomato (2024)

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Asian Food
Southeast Asian Food

Dennis Sim

Food writer and chef living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who creates recipes inspired by Southeast Asia.

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Updated on 03/6/24

Tested by

Diana Andrews

Tested byDiana Andrews

Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network.

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Simple Malaysian ABC Soup With Potato, Carrot, and Tomato (2)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 4 hrs 15 mins

Total: 4 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 2to 3 servings

Yield: 5 1/2 cups

79 ratings

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A popular soup in Asian cuisines, this is called ABC soup because it is super easy to prepare—as simple as ABC. The other reason for the name is that it's filled with vitamins A, B, and C. The combination of carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes add to the healthy soup, while the chicken ensures it's full of flavor. Though it does take some time, it's simple, delicious, and excellent comfort food. This particular recipe is a Malaysian-style ABC soup, though it's not much different than those found in Chinese restaurants.

Soups generally taste nicer if you use a double boiler, a two-tiered soup pot with the bottom pot filled with water. The soup in the upper pot is steamed by the boiling water in the bottom pot. This gentler way of cooking soup releases the flavors from the ingredients gradually, and the result is a sweeter-tasting soup. If you do not have a double boiler, just simmer the soup on the lowest heat possible.

What You'll Need to Make This Malaysian ABC Soup Recipe

A Nice Big Stock Pot

A Handy Dandy Vegetable Peeler

A Good Ladle

“This soup took a while to make, but it was worth it. Such simple ingredients on very low heat came together to produce a deeply satisfying soup. I had it for lunch one day when I wasn’t feeling so good, and it was genuinely comforting and satisfying, and it really did make me feel much better.” —Diana Andrews

Simple Malaysian ABC Soup With Potato, Carrot, and Tomato (6)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 pound bone-in chicken pieces
4 cups water, more as needed
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium tomato, quartered
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
3 medium potatoes
Kosher salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Put the chicken pieces in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil.
Drain the water. Rinse the chicken under water to get rid of any impurities.
Fill a double boiler or a medium soup pot with 4 cups of water. Add the prepared chicken, cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Once thewater boils, remove any impurities from the surface with a ladle. Adjust the heat to low.
Add the carrot, tomato, onion, and peppercorn. Simmer on very low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add to the soup. Continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots and potatoes are tender, and still holding their shape, another 2 1/2 hours.
Add salt, to taste, and serve.

What Type of Potato Is Best for Soup?

When making a soup with potatoes, it's best to use varieties with a low to medium starch content. Yellow potatoes are a favorite, so look for varieties such as Yukon Gold at the grocery store.

Does Soup Need to Cool Before Refrigerating?

Whenever you have leftover soup, it's best to let it cool to room temperature before storing it in the fridge. Hot soup can raise the temperature inside the refrigerator. This can compromise the taste and safety of the soup as well as your other foods. To cool soup more quickly, divide it into smaller bowls or place a large bowl in an ice water bath. Stirring the soup can also speed up the cooling process. Store the soup in an airtight container and enjoy within a few days, reheating it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
484	Calories
14g	Fat
43g	Carbs
45g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2to 3
Amount per serving
Calories	484
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 4g	20%
Cholesterol 176mg	59%
Sodium 283mg	12%
Total Carbohydrate 43g	16%
Dietary Fiber 5g	19%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 24mg	122%
Calcium 77mg	6%
Iron 4mg	21%
Potassium 1499mg	32%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Tomato
appetizer
asian
family dinner

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Simple Malaysian ABC Soup With Potato, Carrot, and Tomato (2024)

What Type of Potato Is Best for Soup?

Does Soup Need to Cool Before Refrigerating?

References