Fried Arroz Caldo
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Yield: 2 dozen
Arroz Caldo is one of the Filipino versions of the porridge. The dish is made by cooking glutinous rice in chicken stock, ginger, and garlic until lusciously thick and creamy. The way I was taught to make this dish uses a combination of both glutinous and jasmine rice to hit the perfect balance of gel-like rice and soup. This version uses only glutinous rice to make for a denser porridge, perfect for shaping and frying.
Ingredients
For Arroz Caldo:
· 5 cups chicken stock (for mine, I used 5 cups of water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes)
· 1 cup glutinous rice
· 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
· 4 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
· 2 tbsp fish sauce (adjust to taste)
· 1 tbsp cooking oil
For breading:
· 2 eggs, beaten
· 1 cup corn starch
· 1 cup plain bread crumbs
· oil for deep frying
Instructions
In a medium pot, saute garlic and ginger in the cooking oil over medium-high heat. Stir constantly to make sure neither turn brown.
Once garlic and ginger start to soften, add the rice to the pot, slightly roasting and flavoring the grains with the flavored oil.
Add in the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium. Stir constantly to make sure the rice cooks evenly. After about 10 minutes, the rice should have absorbed most of the liquid, creating plump grains of rice and a thick soup.
Put the porridge aside to cool before using for fried arroz caldo balls. I refrigerated mine overnight and I found this makes it easier to shape.
Form meatball size balls with the cooled porridge (this recipe makes about 2 dozen, depending on how big you make them).
Assemble your breading components to coat each ball. While breading the rice balls, heat oil in a pot big enough to deep fry.
Dredge in corn starch, dip in beaten eggs, and coat with plain bread crumbs.
Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Serve as is or sprinkle with a little lime juice.
Enjoy!
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