Recipe: Filipino Arroz Caldo

Arroz caldo is a Filipino chicken porridge/congee seasoned with onion, garlic, ginger. It's a comfort food that's best served for merienda (mid-afternoon meal in between lunch and dinner).

Ingredients

Cooking

1 kg tucked chicken wings
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 head minced garlic
1 head minced onion
2 thumb-sized julienned ginger
1/4 kg glutinous rice
3 liters water
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Optional: 8g Magic Sarap (6 sachets of Maggi product); you can substitute with chicken bullion.

Garnish

2 heads toasted minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced spring onion
6 pieces hard-boiled eggs sliced into wedges
15 pieces of calamansi (or 1 lemon or lime)

Procedure

1. Cook the chicken

1. Season the chicken wings with 2 sachets of Magic Sarap (or salt and pepper).
2. Preheat 2 tbsp of oil in a pot and sear the chicken until golden brown. 
3. Set aside.

2. Cook the rice

1. Use the same oil used to cook the chicken in a pot. 
2. Saute garlic, onion, and ginger.
3. Add the rice, cook for 2 minutes.
4. Pour water, stir, and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Cook the chicken and rice together

1. Add the seared chicken.
2. Simmer for 30 more minutes. 
3. Add water, as needed. 
4. Season with 4 sachets or Magic Sarap (or add your chicken bullion).
5. Season with pepper.

4. Serve in bowls

1. Transfer the porridge into bowls and garnish with toasted garlic, spring onion, and eggs.
2. Serve with a side of calamansi or wedges of lemon or lime.  

Source: Magic Sarap (If you haven't guessed already from all the product placement :P)