It’s the rainy season again. It’s time to get cozy and eat comfort food! Don’t fret, not all comfort food are created equal. Some are healthy just like my recipe below:
Brown Rice Arroz Caldo with Crispy Ginger and Garlic
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
brown rice
carrots
onions
bay leaves
peppercorns
celery
ginger and garlic (enough to add to the soup and for garnish)
salt
pepper
The crispy ginger makes all the difference!
Easy peasy:
Step 1: Make chicken stock. In a large pot, boil water (enough to cover the whole chicken). Add all the carrots, onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, celery, parsley, ginger and chicken. Add salt to taste.
Step 2: Once the chicken is cooked, strain everything and use the chicken stock to cook the brown rice. By doing so, the rice becomes more flavorful and you get all the chicken goodness.
Step 3: Cook the brown rice using the chicken stock but add more of the broth to make it more soupy. Keep in mind that brown rice cooks longer than white rice.
Step 4: While the brown rice is cooking, shred the chicken meat off the bone then add it to the soup.
Step 5: Using a grater, grate the ginger and fry it till it’s crispy. Same goes for the garlic — slice the garlic and fry till crispy.
Step 6: Plate the Brown Rice Arroz Caldo and top it with crispy ginger, garlic, and a slice of calamansi. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil because it’s good for you!
Step 7: Serve with a smile. 😀
For vegetarians: Use vegetable stock instead and replace chicken with crispy tofu cubes but add them once you plate the soup.
Did you know? “Scientists say they have confirmed what grandmothers have known for centuries — that chicken soup is good for colds.
Chicken soup — as made by grandma — contains several ingredients that affect the body’s immune system, a team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center found.
Specifically, it has anti-inflammatory properties that could explain why it soothes sore throats and eases the misery of colds and flu, Dr. Stephen Rennard and colleagues said Monday.” Via @CNN
For more of my easy and yummy recipes, grab a copy of my book Fashion + Food: Entertaining at Home in Style at National Book Store and Powerbooks. You may purchase it too online.
