arroz caldo
Arroz caldo is one of those foods you can have any time of day: breakfast, merienda (snack), lunch, or dinner. You can dress it up with all the sahog (ingredients, fixins) or not, and it will still be as satisfying. With every Filipino dish, each family has their own special way to do it, which is why often times there isn’t a “traditional” way to make many dishes. This is also why my measurements are so loose and forgiving. Follow the general recipe, adding a little more or less to taste!
This dish is naturally gluten and dairy free.
The recipe I’m sharing may be made vegan if you mind the notes I include.
Servings
This recipe makes 3-5 bowls of arroz caldo.
Ingredients
1 cup of rice. You can use any combo of glutinous, jasmine, or brown rice. Glutinous rice gives you a thicker broth, which is why I like to mix glutenous and jasmine about 50/50. Here’s a primer on rice.
1/2 diced onion (or more if you love onions)
2 tbsp. minced ginger (some like to grate it, others like. to mince, and others coarsely chop)
1 clove of minced garlic (only if you want to fry some for garnish)
Your choice: 1/2 chicken, 1 - 16 oz brick of tofu, or 8oz mushrooms
Drizzle of neutral oil
Lemon or calamansi
Soft boiled egg (optional)
Seasoning
Fish sauce (I like to use Red Boat)
Gluten free soy sauce like tamari
Chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
Saffron threads (if you can’t find or don’t have, you can use a dash of paprika)
Optional toppings
scallions thinly sliced
crispy garlic
fried crispy shallots
crispy fried or baked tofu
aromatic oils (garlic, scallion, or herb oil)
soft boiled egg
Instructions
Wash your rice several times until the water runs clear. Just put it in a bowl and rinse it like you were playing with sand in a bowl of water. Set aside
Dice onions, mince ginger, mince garlic. Set aside—don’t mix them together.
Over medium high heat, get a pot that can hold 6-8 cups of water, drizzle oil and get a good sear on your chicken, tofu, or mushrooms. If you’re only using mushrooms or tofu, make sure to cook well, as you’ll add these on top later. Remove from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, add another drizzle of oil and add your ginger and onions. Keep stirring to get some good caramelization. Add your washed rice.
Skip this step if you’re making the vegan version: Once onions begin to become translucent, add your chicken back in, give it a good stir.
Add your vegetarian or chicken broth. You can use canned, boxed, or bullions—what you want is approximately 6 cups of broth/water. Stir, and cover. Turn heat down to medium, stirring occasionally to make sure rice doesn’t stick to the bottom or your liquid doesn’t run out. Add more water or broth depending on how soupy you want the dish to be.
If you don’t already have fried garlic, now’s a good time to fry it in a small pan. Heat the oil and make sure you watch it—it can burn quickly. Fry till golden brown and drain on paper towel. I love to keep fried garlic on hand that I buy at the international market.
After 10 minutes, your dish should be cooked! Season to taste with your favorite salty thing: tamari, salt, or fish sauce. If you’re using saffron, stir it in and let it simmer on low for 5 minutes or so.
Ladle into a bowl and top with a piece of chicken or your tofu or mushrooms and any combination of the optional toppings. It’s typically served with a lemon wedge, thinly sliced scallions (green onions), fried garlic, and a soft boiled egg.
