Sunday, November 20, 2011

KULINARYA COOKING CLUB NOVEMBER 2011--ARROZ CALDO

Our theme for Kulinarya Cooking Club for this month is ARROZ CALDO which literally means hot rice in Spanish. Arroz caldo which is like the Chinese congee or porridge is the ultimate comfort food for most Filipinos. Everytime someone is sick and it really doesn't matter if it's fever or stomachache, he/she is bound to be fed with arroz caldo. But it doesn't mean it's served only for that purpose, it's also standard fare for the colder weather which we are supposed to be experiencing now--but it seems like summer is trying to make itself felt in the middle of November...

The basic Arroz Caldo is flavored with chicken, which is what I decided to cook. I was deadset on using risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli) to make it more interesting but at the last minute, I saw brown rice...
ARROZ CALDO
1 medium Onion
2 cloves Garlic
1/4 kilo Chicken breast
1 cup Brown Rice, uncooked
1 liter Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper to taste

Fish Sauce (Patis) to taste

To Make Chicken Stock: Debone chicken breast, set aside in refrigerator. In a pot place chicken bones, peeled and sliced carrots (1 piece), 1 onion, 1 stalk celery (with leaves), 2 cloves garlic, a few peppercorns and 2 dry bayleaves with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Turn down hear, skim the scum from the surface and simmer for another hour. Chicken stock is usually simmered for 3 hours but this was just for one serving so I adjusted the time accordingly. Strain stock through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Reserve liquid.

Preheat a clean pot with a tablespoon of oil, add onions and garlic, cook until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the chicken breast, cook for 3 minutes, or until golden. Add rice and chicken stock. Cook until rice is soft, take out the chicken breast. Flake chicken meat and set aside. Continue cooking rice and stir to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. You can add more liquid as needed. Season with salt, pepper and fish sauce.

Fill bowls with hot arroz caldo, top with flaked chicken and garnish with sliced spring onions. Serve with calamansi and hardboiled eggs.

Using brown rice for my Arroz Caldo was a good choice. It added more body to this filling dish. And the addition of the egg made it a complete meal for me last night. Thank you Joy for choosing Arroz Caldo for this month's theme.
Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino food as we do.
If you are interested in joining our Kulinarya Cooking Club, please feel free to drop by our food blogs and leave a comment. We would love to hear from you!








19 comments:

Suz said...

Well, there's a silver lining to feeling under the weather. :) Arroz caldo sounds like perfect comfort food. I can just imagining sitting propped up in a duvet with a bowful, mmm.

Unknown said...

That looks great.

PinayinTexas said...

Brown rice sounds so good in arroz caldo! Great job on this month's KCC challenge!!!

Anonymous said...

I've never tried making this with brown rice. Great idea!

it's just me... said...

I'm not a big fan of brown rice. But this looks and sounds good.

TaGa_Luto said...

First, i think i'm having problems w/ my KCC emails..i haven't been receiving emails from the group. I'm planning on making a new email address just for KCC.

Second, looking at your pictures makes me want this right about now ;) I so want one. I think i'm making this on my day off and post it..better late than never ;)
Good job as usual, Chef D!!

Wok with Ray said...

Wow, brown rice, lean chicken breast -- all the healthful ingredients. That is why you're the Chef, Dahlia. :)

adorasbox said...

What a healthy and wholesome arroz caldo. Well done, Dahlia.

ElizabethQ said...

Wow! Brown rice is a terrific healthy twist to this classic Arroz Caldo! Thanks for sharing!

♥peachkins♥ said...

a healthier arroz caldo! brilliant idea in using brown rice...

Caroline said...

I agree brown rice makes for an even healthier arroz caldo!

Reel and Grill said...

your last minute change to brown rice makes your arroz caldo even more interesting .... :-)

Kitchen Belleicious said...

Ohh yummy! yes, perfect pick me up kind of meal for sure. It looks great and glad to see it with brown rice instead of white. I love brown!

Oggi said...

Sounds delicious and healthy too. I'm also not a big fan of brown rice but I will use it next time I make arroz caldo.

Your photos are beautiful as always.

SKIP TO MALOU said...

what a healthy take on arroz caldo. just what i needed especially at this time of the year where we tend to overlook our food intake heheh.
thanks for sharing!
malou

ElizabethQ said...

Arroz caldo is always a comfort food for us,no matter where or when it's cooked. Glad to cook along with you on this KCC event!

Anonymous said...

The brown rice is quite a game-changer. We don't cook with it often enough. Good idea!

Pinoy Kitchenette said...

Nice twist! healthy and hearty :)
Sarap!

cusinera said...

Mr.H would love me to eat this healthy version of yours...nice take on the classic Arroz Caldo with the brown rice=)