Arroz Caldo is a type of lugaw (porridge) here in the Philippines. The name Arroz Caldo came from Spanish which means arroz (“rice”) and caldo (“broth”). The name may be a Spanish origin but the dish itself was inspired or originates from Chinese dish “congee”. When it was introduced to us, Filipinos changed some of its recipe to suit the nations taste. Making it the known Arroz Caldo we have today.
Arroz Caldo makes use of glutinous rice, but can also be made with regular rice boiled with an excess of water or broth. essential ingredients include rice, garlic, onions, and ginger. It is known for its strong ginger smell or taste. Toppings include hard boiled eggs, some chopped scallions, and toasted or roasted garlic. Any kinds of meats can also be used as an additional protein for the dish to make it more appetizing. A squeeze of lime before eating it gives it a fresh taste too.
Arroz caldo is regarded as a comfort food in Filipino cuisine. It is usually eaten for breakfast, during and by people who are sick or bedridden. It is eaten hot or warm and can be reheated by adding a little bit of water. Foreigners from Asia is not new to this, in this way It can totally suit their taste meanwhile in other countries it may not be known to them, but trying this dish is not that hard because of it’s easy to eat texture and it suits anyone’s taste bud.
A little backstory on my experience on eating arroz caldo. I remember when, I think I was about the age 10, I was so sickly and bedridden. I didn’t have any appetite to eat which made my mom worry about me. She then brought me arroz caldo to at least soothe my appetite. I would say that that was one of the best soup I had during my sick days. I would really recommend you guys to try it.
AsSanYu 