Arroz Caldo

Today is overcast, grey clouds looming in the sky, a drizzle here and there. My mom-in-law cooked Pakbet but the taste of alamang is too strong for the palates of my 2 kids. Perfect food for this kind of weather is Arroz Caldo. It literally means, hot rice. I remember my mom cooking this dish when I was little- she served this whenever even just one of us of her nine children either have the flu, cough or colds. It instantly makes us feel better. Arroz Caldo is a comfort food that warms the heart and the tummy!

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 kg chicken, cut into small pieces

1 head of garlic, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

1 inch knob of ginger, cut into strips

1 1/2 cups of malagkit rice, rinsed and drained (you can also use ordinary rice)

1/3 cup Patis

A pinch or more of ground black pepper

A teaspoon of brown sugar

Cooking oil

Toasted Garlic

Calamansi or Lemon

Green Onion Chives, finely chopped

Hard-boiled eggs

 

 

1. In a pot, heat some oil, then add in garlic and onion. Cook until fragrant. Add in the ginger saute until garlic and onions are slightly browned. Add in the chicken pieces and and cook until juices from the chicken come out. Add in the malagkit rice, patis and ground pepper. Mix Well. Pour water (pre-boiled in a kettle about 1 L or more) and bring to a boil. Cook until malagkit rice is tender. Adjust the seasonings according to taste. You can also add more water to adjust the consistency of the porridge. 

 

2. Serve hot and top with toasted garlic, onion chives, hard-boiled eggs and a squeeze of calamansi or lemon.