Filipino food post: perfect arroz caldo

I suspected that arroz caldo would have Chinese origins, and that it would have been some form of congee. Turns out I was right, as per Doreen Fernandez once again. She discusses 19th century Chinese restaurants giving Spanish names to their dishes, purely for marketing purposes to Philippine clientele.

(I wonder which came first: congee or lugaw?)

Fernandez has written on how Chinese cuisine has been indigenized over time (that is, we come to believe it has always been “ours”), in a way that Spanish cuisine generally has not. This definitely has something to do with the relative abundance of necessary ingredients, as well as relative ease in preparation, unlike Spanish cuisine’s more expensive and relative unavailiability of ingredients, much of which would have been imported, as well as the more complex processes of preparation. These factors contribute to Spanish dishes becoming the “special occasion” associated dishes.

Yesterday evening’s arroz caldo was perfect, and I say this having been cooking arroz caldo for some years now. I am measuring “perfection” by the consistency of the porridge or soup, and by the balance of flavor between the patis, lemon, onion, garlic.

A couple of things on Americanizations: organic Whole Foods box of chicken broth, boneless skinless chicken breast, and along with the chopped scallions for garnish when served – chopped fresh parsley. Certainly, lemon over calamansi is an Americanization.

On the parsley: this was Oscar’s idea, as we had a bunch in the refrigerator, just waiting to go bad. It was a nice touch, this fresh green flavor.

On the onions: an entire medium sized yellow onion, chopped and sautéed with garlic, grated ginger, bay leaves, and cracked black pepper. And then of course, the scallions.

On the garlic: sautéed with the ingredients above, as well as chopped and toasted for garnish when serving.

On the chicken: I realize that boneless and skinless breast doesn’t give you the flavor benefit of bone marrow and skin.

On the patis: Datu Puti brand is good when you’ve run out of Rufina! How much to use? I let my nose decide.

On consistency: I’ve always made it too porridge-y, too thick, not soupy enough. I’ve always blamed this on the uncooked rice soaking up every bit of broth. I’d thought of cheating and using day old already cooked rice but that’d just be cheating. It’s good then, to keep a box of broth nearby, and to add gradually to the pot as the whole thing simmers.

Simple. Drama free. Perfect arroz caldo.

Tags: arroz caldo, Doreen Fernandez