Arroz Caldo

ARROZ CALDO

I love cooking (and of course, EATING) Arroz Caldo!  Arroz caldo (hot rice) is a Spanish-named Filipino dish based on the Chinese congee or rice porridge.  It's one of my favorite stuff to eat during cold nights (or days) or whenever I am sick...

Arroz Caldo Ingredients:

• rice
• chicken cut into serving pieces or chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
• oil
• garlic, minced
• onion, chopped
• ginger, sliced thinly or minced
• water
• chicken bullion
• spring onions, chopped
• boiled eggs, halved or whole

Directions:

1. Toast minced garlic in a large saucepan and set it aside.
2. Sauté onions, ginger, and chicken in the oil.
3. Add the rice and stir for a while.
4. Add water and chicken bullion and stir to make sure that the ingredients do not stick to the sides of the saucepan.
5. Simmer in low heat for at least 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and soft.
6. Serve in bowls with boiled eggs and topped with spring onions and toasted garlic.

You can add a dash of pepper and some patis (fish sauce) if you want!

EXOTIC FOOD CHRONICLES: LECHON KAWALI

I’ve been sinfully craving for cholesterol-rich pork recipes and when I opened my archive of food images, I saw the tempting bowl of Lechon Kawali from Mom’s Corner…

Lechon Kawali is a Filipino delicacy (and I think it counts as exotic food…oh no not again…). It is called such because it tastes like lechon (roasted pig) but it is cooked in a frying pan (kawali).

Here’s how to make your own Lechon Kawali:

Ingredients:

• 1 kg whole pork belly (liempo)
• Salt
• Garlic cloves
• Peppercorns
• Water for boiling
• Cornstarch
• Oil for deep frying

Directions:

1. Clean pork belly and slice it into bite-size pieces.
2. Put pork in a pan with water, salt, garlic cloves, peppercorns.
3. Let the meat boil and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the skin is tender. Once the meat is tender, drain it and let it dry.
4. Cover the meat with a thin layer of cornstarch.
5. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the pork until the meat turns golden brown and the skin becomes crispy.
6. In a bowl mix soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic and chopped onions. Add chili peppers if desired. Use this as a dipping sauce.
7. Serve lechon kawali with the sauce and rice!

Yum yum!

WARNING: If you are a health conscious individual, don’t eat too much of this dish. Pork contains a lot of cholesterol which may cause several cardio-vascular diseases. If you already have cardiovascular diseases, maybe grab a bite or two of lechon kawali but not more… Eat more at your own risk!