Arroz caldo is thick cooked chicken porridge, served with hard-boiled eggs, deep-fried garlic and fish sauce.
It is not only when someone is sick that they need chicken porridge, Filipinos can cook arroz caldo for breakfast, when craving something warm on a rainy day or cold season… For the people of ten thousand islands, chicken porridge is the “comfort food” – a popular dish that brings a sense of comfort and mental comfort thanks to its ability to stimulate the taste buds.
Sticky rice cooked with chicken broth, garlic, ginger, simmered soft and thick. Then, the chef will sprinkle shredded chicken, grilled garlic, finely chopped onions and calamansi (Philippine lemon). Diners just need to add fish sauce or salt to taste. Some of the accompanying “toppings” are boiled eggs and tokwa’t baboy (fried tofu and boiled pork).
Many diners mistake arroz caldo for lugaw. In fact, lugaw is just flower porridge, served with grilled garlic, green onions and fish sauce. And arroz caldo is a kind of porridge cooked in broth and chicken.
Although arroz caldo is derived from Spanish, with arroz being rice and caldo being broth, Chinese cuisine is its origin. This porridge was promoted by Chinese immigrants to the Philippines. The Spaniards made their mark by adding saffron to the porridge. That is why the dish has two versions of white and yellow, the difference lies in the composition of rose pistil, saffron or turmeric.
More than just a popular dish, arroz caldo is also a luxury symbol associated with the Philippine national airline. If you search for the keyword Mabuhay Lounge on social networks, you will see a series of photos of arroz caldo, next to usually the plane ticket and hand luggage.
Although there are no other ingredients than the sidewalk shop, a bowl of chicken porridge attached to this check-in point confirms that the owner of the photo belongs to the elite, who can afford to buy a business class ticket or at least a passenger. loyal customers of the company. Because, arroz caldo is only available in the Mabuhay Lounge business class menu, or first and business class on long-haul Philippine Airlines flights.
Arroz caldo has become a symbol of privilege and exclusivity, associated with a certain class in the Philippines. Photo: Kris Lawrence
Mr. Minh synthesized