When I was a kid, there was a lady who sold arroz caldo every day in her makeshift stall. It wasn’t much to write home about but it made for a good breakfast standby.
For 5 pesos, you’d get a bowl of watery arroz caldo and half a slice of hardboiled egg. If you chose to eat it on the spot, you even get complimentary toyo (soy sauce) and calamansi (lime). All in all a good deal.
Arroz caldo is a Filipino porridge made with rice and chicken and slow cooked in a ginger-rich broth. It’s rather like lugaw (plain rice porridge) but on steroids. As with many Filipino dishes, the name is derived from the Spanish. Caldo means hot and arroz, of course, means rice. Interestingly, the people from my hometown still use the term caldo to refer to hot broth.
What’s in my bowl?
Aside from the requisite chicken pieces, arroz caldo is also served with hard boiled eggs, chopped spring onions, freshly cracked peppercorns, and fried garlic. In my version of arroz caldo, I topped it with fried shallots instead of garlic.
When making arroz caldo it’s important to note that it needs a whole lot of h2O. Water is essential in slow cooking the rice until it starts to lose its shape and turns a bit mushy. I prefer the congee-like texture to the gruel version.
It takes time to turn uncooked rice to gooey congee (and a whole lot of water top-ups) but it definitely is worth it. Oh, and don’t forget to watch the pot while cooking and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot from time to time to avoid burning the rice.
In addition to using numerous cups of water, I also added more than the usual amount of ginger and added ginger powder on top of it. What can I say? I love ginger. And ginger’s healthy, right?
Did you know that in my province we don’t use patis (fish sauce) to flavor this? As a rule, we use the local patis (toyo) in place of patis Tagalog (patis). I stayed true to my roots in this instance.
Here’s what’s in my bowl ??! Happy slurping!
arroz caldo
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 100 grams onion sliced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 5 inch ginger crushed and sliced
- 1 kg chicken cut into parts
- 165 grams 1 cup rice, uncooked
- 6 cups water or broth
- fish sauce or salt to taste
- pepper to taste
For toppings:
- hard boiled eggs
- spring onion chopped
- fried minced garlic
- fried shallots
- calamansi lime
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and the water. Stir to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Lower the heat and cover the pot.
- Allow to simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot once in a while.
- Cook until the rice starts to break down, about 1 hour. Add more water as necessary. The arroz caldo will thicken considerably.
- Season with fish sauce or salt. Add pepper to taste.
- Serve with the toppings.
Video
Notes
I added some ginger powder before cooking the chicken. You can opt not to and you can even lessen the amount of ginger used in the recipe.
Arroz Caldo – A Filipino Rice and Chicken Gruel Dish
Rice porridge
Whether you are preparing an authentic Filipino meal or simply want to enjoy a taste of the Philippines, rice porridge for arroz caldo is a great choice. Its traditional savory flavor can be enhanced by adding ingredients such as fried garlic, sliced egg, crispy fried garlic, or even saffron threads. To make the dish more authentic, you can also add a pinch of turmeric.
To make Filipino arroz caldo, simply boil glutinous rice and water in a large stockpot or saucepan. Simmer it for about 30 minutes. Then, add scallions, garlic, and hard-boiled eggs. Arroz caldo can be served cold or hot and is an ideal comfort food. A chicken breast is another option to serve with this rice porridge. Moreover, you can cook chicken with its skin on, if you like.
Chicken congee
Arroz caldo, also called Aroskaldo, is a Filipino rice and chicken gruel. The dish is heavily flavored with ginger, toasted garlic, scallions, and black pepper. It is commonly served with calamansi or a hard-boiled egg. If you’re not familiar with the dish, it originated in the Philippines. But before you make your own version, you should know what to expect before you order it.
To make a tasty and authentic Arroz Caldo, start by preparing rice. Rinse the rice well and then set aside. In a pan, combine rice and chicken, if using. Cook the rice until it is soft but still holds its shape. Add a pinch of salt, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir frequently so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir for 30 minutes, until the rice grains are falling apart. You may also add garlic chips, green onion, and sliced calamansi.
Chicken lugaw
Similar to lugaw, arroz caldo is served with whole pieces of chicken, but instead of using chicken breasts, the dish uses chicken pieces, or lansa, which has been removed from the carcass. The dish is cooked in homemade chicken stock and often topped with chicken pieces. It is hearty and meaty, making it a popular choice for a comfort food. Listed below are a few tips to make the dish.
Start by browning the chicken thighs in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add fish sauce and lime juice and stir. Next, add the rice, cooking it for two minutes while constantly stirring to mix the flavors. Continue to stir for another 10 minutes, or until the rice grains start to break apart. Sprinkle on sliced calamansi, garnished with sliced green onions and hardboiled eggs.
Fish sauce
Arroz caldo, also known as aroskaldo, is a classic Filipino rice and chicken gruel. It is flavored with ginger, scallions, toasted garlic, and black pepper, and garnished with calamansi and a hard-boiled egg. Fish sauce is usually served alongside the dish, and is the perfect complement to this nourishing dish. Learn how to make your own fish sauce for arroz caldo.
Start by thinning the broth or water for the arroz caldo. Add a bit of water and stir to blend the flavors. Avoid using too much broth as the flavor will be diluted. Also, do not use no-salt broth as it may dilute the flavor of the dish. If you’re going to use water, make sure to adjust the seasonings accordingly. Also, do not use water if you’re not planning to add salt. This will decrease the flavour of the broth and make it too thin.
Optional toppings
Filipino arroz caldo is a savoury rice porridge that is loaded with nutritious ginger. The dish is often topped with fried garlic and spring onion, and is delicious on its own, or as a base for other toppings such as hard-boiled eggs and tofu. Arroz caldo is a wonderful dish to serve for brunch or a hearty midday snack. Toppings for arroz caldo can be anything from fried to crispy garlic chips to chicken.
Safflower – Also known as kasubha in the Philippines, safflower is an herb with yellow or red corollas. Safflower seeds are used in arroz caldo to lend it a distinctive yellow hue when cooked. Adding soy curd or crispy tofu to the pot will provide more fiber and protein. This dish also tastes great with a sprinkle of turmeric.
