Ginger Chicken Rice Porridge with Crispy Garlic and Egg
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
Filipino arroz caldo: a soothing, gingery chicken and rice porridge finished with lime and topped with sliced boiled egg, spring onion and crunchy fried garlic. Warming, filling and perfect on a cool evening.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Fry the garlic. Put two-thirds of the garlic and the 120 ml oil in the small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until light golden. Strain it at once through the fine sieve and spread it on kitchen paper, keeping the garlic oil for another use. The garlic keeps darkening from its own heat after it leaves the pan, so stop while it is still pale gold to avoid bitterness.
- 2
Brown the chicken. Heat the 2 tbsp oil in the large pot over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until browned. Browning adds savoury flavour that carries through the whole porridge.
- 3
Add the aromatics. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the ginger and the remaining garlic for 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to brown. Pour in the fish sauce with the pepper and cook for 1 minute, then add the rice and stir until it is coated. Toasting the grains in the flavoured oil gives the porridge a fuller taste.
- 4
Simmer to porridge. Add the saffron, stock and water, scraping the base of the pot. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes so the rice does not stick, until the rice is very soft and the broth has thickened into a loose porridge. As the grains break down they release starch, which is what gives the broth its silky body; add a little water if it becomes too thick.
- 5
Check and season. Make sure a piece of chicken reads 74 °C, then stir in the lime juice. Taste and brighten with more lime rather than salt, since the fish sauce already brings enough saltiness.
- 6
Boil the eggs. While the porridge simmers, lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until the yolks are fully set. Cool them in cold water, then peel and slice.
- 7
Top and serve. Ladle the porridge into bowls and top with the egg slices, spring onions and crispy garlic. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.
Storage
Leftovers thicken as they cool. Refrigerate within 1 hour, use within 24 hours and reheat with a splash of water, stirring, until bubbling and piping hot (74 °C). Store the crispy garlic separately in an airtight container. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- small saucepan
- fine sieve
- kitchen paper
- large heavy pot or casserole with a lid (at least 4 litres)
- small saucepan for the eggs
- wooden spoon
- instant-read probe thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 569 kcal |
| Protein | 38.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 50.1 g |
| of which sugars | 3.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.2 g |
| Fat | 22.9 g |
| of which saturates | 3.6 g |
| Fibre | 2.1 g |
| Salt | 2.45 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.8 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
