Arroz Caldo (Filipino Chicken Porridge)

-Serves 4 (GF, DF)
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Be it Chinese congee, Indian khichdi or Filipino Arroz Caldo, rice porridge has always been my go-to comfort food. Arroz Caldo, literally meaning warm rice, may be just a simple Filipino dish cooked with rice, chicken wings, ginger and garlic, but the end result is luxuriously creamy and packed with umami. If you are already a fan of Chicken Adobo, this dish is going to make you fall in love with Filipino food all over again - enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients for Arroz Caldo

1 cup uncooked white rice or sticky rice 
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
​3 large cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 tablespoons chopped ginger
700g chicken wings 
1 tablespoon fish sauce
7 cups water
2 organic chicken stock cubes
salt and black pepper, to taste 

To serve:
​4 hard-boiled chicken eggs or quail eggs, optional 
4 teaspoons crispy fried garlic 
2-3 spring onions, chopped
lemon or Calamansi, cut into wedges
extra fish sauce

Recipe 
1. Rinse rice and soak in a few cups of water for about an hour. Drain water before use.
2. In a tall saucepan, heat oil on medium flame. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
3. Add chicken wings and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown all over. Add a tablespoon of fish sauce and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add drained rice and continue cooking until rice starts to turn lightly brown. Add water and crumbled chicken stock cubes - stir to dissolve. Bring to the boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice has broken down and the porridge has reached the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Ladle in 4 large serving bowls. Garnish with boiled eggs, fried garlic, and chopped spring onions. Serve alongside lemon or calamansi wedges and extra fish sauce on the side.

Note: To make homemade crispy fried garlic, simply fry 4 teaspoons finely chopped garlic in 2-3 tablespoons oil on low heat, until crispy brown all over. Keep stirring occasionally to prevent garlic from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Drain using a slotted spoon, let it cool slightly before using.
For more delicious recipes, check out our upcoming hands-on cooking classes in Downtown Singapore.
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