Whenever I get sick, my husband has taken to making arroz caldo to comfort me. The Filipino version of chicken ginger porridge is the perfect dish for rainy days and frankly, it’s so good, I would eat it any day.
When I began to learn more about the energetic properties of food, I realized how brilliant this dish is. Rice moistens Yin, clears heat. Chicken tonifies qi, nourishes blood. Ginger benefits the lungs and stomach, expels pathogens, settles the digestion by reducing nausea amd diarrhea. Onions and scallions resolve phlegm, promote sweating, and is great for colds, sinus infections, and allergies. What part of that wouldn’t be beneficial for anyone who’s feeling under the weather?
It’s a fairly low key dish to make too! There’s no reason why everyone can’t enjoy this so here’s the recipe:
- 2 cups of chicken, cubed or cut into thick strips
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons Fish sauce*
- olive oil
- 1″ ginger, cut into coins
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup of rice
- 6-7 cups of chicken broth or water
- Scallions and fried garlic/shallots, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
- Marinate the chicken in 1 Tablespoon each of sesame oil, fish sauce
- Saute the ginger and onions in oil until softened.
- Add the chicken and fish sauce. Stir fry.
- Add rice and liquid, bring to a boil. Stir, turn down the heat and let the pot simmer until rice is cooked. (Add more liquid if you want a more watery consistency.)
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, sprinkle with scallions.
The fried garlic/shallots can be homemade but you can also find them in little plastic tubs in the Asian supermarkets if you don’t have time… totally up to you, but I love the crunch.
*Skip if you are not a fan of fish… but personally, the fish sauce makes the dish. It adds a tangy umami goodness that you can’t get with soy sauce or just plain salt & pepper. Lemon and soy might be a good substitute. (By the way, fish sauce is usually gluten free too.)