Arroz Caldo

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Rice Grains (Bigas)
2 pounds Chicken legs and thighs, cut in serving pieces
1 head Garlic, minced and fried
2 thumbsize Ginger, shredded or chopped finely
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Fish Sauce or Patis
2 pieces Knorr Chicken Cubes
12 cups water
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil, for sauteing
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 stalks Green Onion for garnishing, sliced

Cooking Procedure:

1. Boil about 12 cups water in a big pot.
2. In a separate pan on medium low heat, fry the garlic until slightly browned. Leave about a quarter of the fried garlic on the pan and set aside the rest.
3. Add the onion and ginger and saute for a minute. Try to watch the garlic making sure they don't burn.
4. Add the chicken pieces, rice grains, Fish sauce and Knorr cubes and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Transfer everything carefully to the boiling pot of water, turn the heat down and simmer for 24 - 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
6. Once the soup had thickened, season with pepper.
7. Garnish with fried garlic and sliced green onions. Serve hot.


Tips:

•Boil and shell chicken or quail eggs and add to step 7.
•Try to chop or shred the ginger finely so it melds in the soup and you won't get to bite chunks of ginger.
•Fried Garlic is not just for garnish, it's more for flavoring the Lugaw. If available, use the pre-Fried Garlic sold in containers, it's more convenient and better tasting than doing it from scratch.