Budget Meal - Arroz caldo, Filipino style rice porridge.

Arroz Caldo

is a popular Filipino rice porridge dish that is made with chicken and broth, rice, ginger, and other vegetables. Its name is derived from the Spanish words Arroz which means rice and Caldo which means broth. Filipinos had a way of making rice gruels before when they were heavily influenced by Chinese traders. But it was until then that Spaniards came and brought together with them their style of making rice porridge and rebranded what Filipino have now as arroz caldo.

Filipino arroz caldo and Spanish arroz caldo are both rice porridge dishes, but they have some differences in terms of ingredients and flavor.

IMG_20230102_155527.jpg

Filipino arroz caldo is typically made with any white rice, chicken broth, chicken, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and vegetables like onions and celery. It is often flavored with fish sauce and garnished with green onions and cilantro. It is a hearty and savory dish that is often served as comfort food in the Philippines.

On the other hand, Spanish arroz caldo, also known as "caldoso," is typically made with short-grain rice, chicken broth, and vegetables like onions, carrots, and peppers. It may also include meats like chicken or pork, and it is often flavored with saffron and paprika. Spanish arroz caldo is typically a lighter and more broth-based dish than Filipino arroz caldo.

The main difference between the two dishes is the type of rice used and the specific ingredients and spices used to flavor them.

IMG_20230102_155505.jpg

You can use leftover rice to make arroz caldo. But if it is being served in big batches then you should use uncooked rice. In fact, using leftover rice can help to give the dish a softer, more porridge-like consistency, which is traditional for arroz caldo. You may need to adjust the amount of broth used in the recipe depending on how much rice you are using. It is also a good idea to add a little extra water or broth to the pot to help ensure that the porridge has a sufficient liquid base.

In this post(my first post in this community), I want to highlight how easy it is to cook Filipino arroz caldo with just a few ingredients available in your home. Let me walk you through the ingredients that I used.

Ingredients


IngredientsMeasurements
IMG_20230102_145853.jpg1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of MSG
1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder
IMG_20230102_145945.jpg1 pc. chicken broth cube
IMG_20230102_150014.jpg1 whole ginger
IMG_20230102_150119.jpg4 pcs. long peppers
IMG_20230102_150049.jpga stalk of spring onion
IMG_20230102_150842.jpg2-3 cups of leftover rice
IMG_20230102_150638.jpg1 whole leftover chicken breast

There are 2 leftover foods I used here, first is rice and the other is fried chicken breast. With the only chicken available at home, this leaves me nothing to make for my chicken broth so I ended up buying a broth cube at the store. I used garlic powder for all my dishes. I just can't handle slicing, chopping, or mincing garlic cloves using bare hands. Also, I used long peppers for the added spiciness of the dish. Ginger and spring onions(the Philippines is still in an onion crisis) for the prominent smell of the broth and lastly I forgot to take a photo of the 500ml of water. Lol

Cooking Instructions:


IMG_20230102_150921.jpg

Rinse all vegetables and spices and chop or slice them as necessary. Shred the fried chicken breast also.



IMG_20230102_151401.jpg

IMG_20230102_151550.jpg

Preheat the oil in the casserole then saute the ginger, spring onion, and chicken. Then slowly add the 500 ml of water.




IMG_20230102_151842.jpg

While waiting for it to simmer for 5 minutes, add half of the chicken broth cube, for the chicken meat to absorb its flavor. This is to make our shredded chicken breast tastier.




IMG_20230102_152456.jpg

IMG_20230102_152924.jpg

When it simmers, slowly add the leftover rice and stir it until the rice crumbles evenly. You can add more water for a more brothy-like porridge.




IMG_20230102_152712.jpg

Then next add the chopped long peppers, the remaining half of the chicken broth cube and the garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil.




IMG_20230102_153327.jpg

When it boils, season the dish with salt and MSG then cover it and reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 more minutes.




IMG_20230102_155132.jpg

IMG_20230102_153626.jpg

Constantly taste the dish to achieve the desired taste. Get that umami flavor.

IMG_20230102_155150.jpg




IMG_20230102_155434.jpg

Garnish with spring onions and add ground pepper before serving. Enjoy!

2-4 Servings

IMG_20230102_160416.jpg

I made the arroz caldo dish for the first time and my wife enjoyed it. We frequently have leftover rice at home as we often cook enough rice for the entire day to avoid having to cook dinner. Usually, we make fried rice for dinner but this time I settled for a soupier one.

Consider making this one for your loved ones especially if they like rice meals or soup. If you have any suggestions for the recipe, feel free to comment on them below. If you've gone far with this post, I appreciate your time.

All photos are taken by the author, cover image made thru canva.


What is HIVE?

If you want to know more about Hive, visit some links below.

About the Author

The author has exposed himself to cryptocurrencies and blockchain since 2014 where his first bitcoins were used to fund his education and his first assets in life. Years later it molded him to have a wiser look in life and finances. He's an engineer in the profession but an investor by passion. He desires to know everything he's capable of doing. He loves to have more hobbies that are fruitful, energizing, and fulfilling. A strong believer.

myhivegif.gif

Sort:  

We just had Arroz Caldo during our breakfast, it is best to enjoy specially in this weather.

We are currently experiencing moderate to heavy rains here in the Visayas. But personally, weather like this is best spent at home whil eating champurrado. 🙂