Well here we are, smack bayem in the the middle of my favourite season of all time (not) – WINTER! All summer long I had been dreaming of the precious moments when I can defrost the icy layers from my car every morning (another not!). Speaking of which, a friend of a friend decided to pour hot water over their windscreen the other day. Not a good idea. Yes MAAM, it shattered. No super glue can fix that S%^T.
But let me tell you about some great things about winter. *scratches head*…
One hour later…
Ok. I’ve got something. Whilst fashionistas can’t wait to debut their latest trench coats on Instagram as they thrill us with a plethora of #selfie shots, all foodies alike break out our stretchy pants, lonesome pressure cookers and tagines then yes maam, we’d instagram our comfort food themed dishes with full force using hashtags like #foodgasm! On that, I love making Arroz Caldo. To me, it defines the term comfort food filled with all the elements to make you smile. Packed with ginger, garlic and a broth made from scratch – it’s a tasty chicken soup and a main dish in one. A few months ago, when it was nice and balmy, the lovely folks at SBS Food contacted me for an interview to talk about my cookbook, Filipino food, Chinese New Year and to my excitement, asked to cook and feature my Arroz Caldo recipe (below) from What the heck is Filipino Food which I thought was #pow. I totally forgot about it until they recently published it.
source: SBS Food. They did an a+mazing job with my recipe and the food styling, wow. I am not worthy! Thanks guys!
Now, onto the bizur. How the heck do you make this? Check out the recipe after the jump.
Zee Ingredients
200 g (1 cup) jasmine rice
75 g (? cup) glutinous rice
60 ml (¼ cup) canola oil
10 cm x 2 cm ginger, finely sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 spring onions, sliced, plus extra to serve
1 spatchcock (about 700 g), jointed into 8 pieces
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
4 small eggs (optional)
cumquat wedges (see Note), to serve
fish sauce, to serve
Zee Procedure
1. Wash the jasmine rice and glutinous rice twice and set aside.
2. Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant. Drop in the spatchcock and cook until the chicken starts to colour and there are no signs of blood. Don’t overcook it!
3. Add the salt, pepper, jasmine rice, glutinous rice and 1 litre (4 cups) of water. Stir gently to combine, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for no longer than 1 hour or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid absorbed. Gently stir every 20 mins and add a smidgen of water if it becomes too thick. Like any congee, we want it to be a little soupy.
4. Start scoopin’! Just don’t be breakin’ that chicken skin. Pour into bowls and crack an egg over the top, if using, and stir to combine. Squeeze over cumquat juice, fish sauce to taste and top with spring onions.
You’ve been served!
Last week, I slipped on the stairs and did some hefty damage to my lower back, so I was in desperate need of some of this healing soup. I didn’t want anything that tasted like ass crack.com. Whether it’s the flu, the blues or an injured back, I can always count on this dish to being me back to business plus my pets were getting way bored as they were literally begging for attention. I swear the cat used the lamp to to produce the Bat Signal.
So um, what’s your favourite dish to cook in winter?!
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Keep eating…LIKE CRAZAAY!
Adrian
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Congrats on getting featured!
I have to say, I definitely turn to congee as my comfort food as well – growing up, it was what my mum made every time anyone was sick.
Thanks Amanda. Your mum sounds ace
Wow! I love congee and this is perfect for the wintery days!
Congee rocks especially in winter
Congrats TT 🙂 You should definitely be featured more! Love congee especially since it’s so cold now but unlike you hehe I love the WINTER! I’m so weird I know! I don’t like the sun and getting all tan 🙂 But having said that I do like how we can eat ice-cream and icy poles all the time during summer oopps I do that now anyway!
Haha thanks TT. I’m with you – ice cream anytime if the year!
Woot, the food styling and photography turned out great – congrats on the feature!
Thanks! Yea, how amazing is their food styling
Yum, this dish could definitely become ma Thang! It’s interesting how Filipino food is influenced by the Chinese, yet the dishes have Spanish words, like ‘arroz.’
Hehe, love it. Not many people know abt the Chinese and Spanish influences
This rice dish looks delicious, such a comfort dish.
Hope you are having a great week Adrian 🙂
Thanks Juliana. Comfort food is the best especially when it brings back childhood memories
Congrats on being featured on SBS Food! You’re famous! 😀
Haha, far from it. cheers Libby
YUMMY I want to make this too, RB! And I love love love adding egg to my congee too. I don’t know if it’s a common thing in Filipino cuisine but it’s definitely not in Chinese congee but the egg white does make the congee soo much more smooth and silky (sounds like a shampoo ad). SBS picked the right person to share the right recipe too 😉
Bw haha RB! You should write copy for shampoo ads! I agree, egg to congee woks. Thanks for ya support
Wow, Adrian, you’ve been busy! I’ve eaten congee but I’ve never made it at home. It always seemed daunting to get it right. I must give this a try.
Indeed but good busy hehe. Congee at home is great especially the next day when all the flavors come out
Congrats! and Mama’s fave is congee…this looks phenomenal!
Aw thanks! Ahuh congee rules
I have only had congee a few times but I agree it is one of the true comfort foods, so warming!!
Agreed! It cures the flu!
urgh Winter sucks balls. Stretchy pants here we come 😛
Stretchy pants allll the waaay
Really great congee! I’ve made it, but it’s been awhile – maybe when my winter rolls around I will! Congrats on getting featured – that’s really nice.
Thanks John. Yes, it’s a must during winter
Wow dude! Congratulations. Great feature. I’m a bit like you re winter. I made all my friends head to the park on Sunday for a picnic because I was determined to ring in Spring early! It was sunny… but super windy. I hope your lower back heals up soon!!
Thanks Amanda. The back is getting much better now. Hopefully we have an amazing non windy spring
Wow this is so amazing! Congrats on the feature. Absolutely LOVE arroz caldo!
Arroz caldo rocks! Thanks Trish
Well I definitely guessed right when I said you’d be enjoying warming foods (as opposed to my Pimm’s and grill-out!) in chilly Melbourne! This looks amazing, and I’m always fascinated with the endless variations of congee in different Asian cultures. I’ve never used glutinous rice before, but I imagine that makes it even more lovely and thick.
Thanks Irina. Glutinous rice makes it beautifully sticky and less glugy
That looks awesome. Love the touches of orange. I have only made congee once and I can’t imagine having it for breakfast. Love the idea of packing carbs into soup though!
Thanks Cass. Carb overload for sure but well worth it lol
I hate winter too but I’d be a lot happier if I could have a bowl of this everyday. Congrats Adrian and yes, they did a fab job with the styling and photography.
Winter sucks period. Thanks Christina, was happy they picked up my recipe
It looks awesome Adrian – love the kumquats in the photos. Beautifully styled – and what a great tribute it does to the recipe and the recipe writer :-)!
Thanks! Love kumquats. Love what they did with it
Congrats on the feature Adrian! Woowhooo! Chicken congee is a true comforting dish. Love your pictures with nice styling, look so good!
Thanks Nami. Styling rocks hey but nothing beats your styling skills!!
Just mouthwatering…looks delicious!
Thanks Kaylan! I want some now
I love Arroz Caldo but must admit I have an experience that scarred me a little bit when I was younger.. On a trip to my Mum’s village in the Phils, I woke up earlyish and was sitting in the living room anad could hear the sound of my Aunt butchering a chicken (and it took a LOT longer than I would have liked).. and also of course I’d pretty much never heard a chicken die before lol.. A few hours later, she served me a steaming bowl of chicken arroz caldo and I was kind of too squeamish to eat it. But my Mum whispered “eat it, they never kill chickens – they only did it for you because you never visit!” Yup and now that’s the memory I have of arroz caldo haha.
Omg…that would traumatise me as well! At least you ate a really fresh batch lolz.
Congrats on being featured on SBS food! 🙂 You’re right, they did such a great job styling your congee – I think it’s really hard to make the flavours of congee come alive in a picture, and that’s just what they’ve done. I could totally go a bowl of that now!
Aw THANKS BQ! Love what they did with it
We love that you’re talking so much about Filipino food. It’s important that the international community knows the culinary prowess of the Filipino community.
“Ihaw,” as Filipinos call it, is an integral part not only of their childhood, but of their lifetime. The term is the Filipino translation for barbecue, a culinary gift to all of mankind. Filipino Barbie has now landed on the vast lands of Australia, and I urge Australian locals to dive in to this scene, for which Filipino food is known and loved for. For the first time, Filipino Barbie is officially a part of the prestigious Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Discover this Filipino culinary flair at the William Angliss Restaurant on March 7 and 9, 2014 at 7pm. For more information, visit http://facebook.com/filipinobbq. Be part of the Filipino Barbie phenomenon happening in Melbourne!