Lugaw (Arroz Caldo)

Lugaw or Arroz Caldo is a Filipino savory rice porridge made with chicken, garlic, ginger, onion, and glutinous rice, simmered to perfection in a flavorful broth made of with pepper, kasubha, fish sauce and chicken broth cube. Also known as Arroz Caldo, Lugaw is one of the most popular Filipino comfort food, commonly enjoyed as a filling and comforting meal, especially during cold or rainy days. With its rich chicken flavor and nourishing ingredients, chicken arroz caldo is not only delicious but also brings a sense of comfort and nostalgia to those who savor it.

Loga Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup glutinous rice
• 1/2 cup regular rice
• 500 grams chicken (sliced into serving pieces)
• thumb size ginger (sliced into thin strips)
• 5 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kasubha
• fish sauce to taste
• 7 to 8 cups water
• oil for sauteing
• 1 piece chicken broth cube

Directions:

1. Heat some oil in a deep pot. Add the chicken cuts and sear until light brown. Then, remove them from the pan and transfer to a container.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and onions. Saute for a few minutes until aromatic and light brown.
3. Add the glutinous rice and the regular rice. Saute for a few minutes. Season with some fish sauce to taste. Wait for the strong aroma to evaporate before stirring.
4. Put the chicken back to the pot and sprinkle some black pepper. Add a piece of chicken broth cube. Pour some water to create a broth. Cover the pot and let this simmer for 20 minutes. Stir from time to time.
5. Add the kasubha for some natural colors. Continue simmering until the broth is thick. Once thick, the dish is ready. Turn the heat off.
6. Transfer the chicken arroz caldo to a serving bowl. Make sure to get pieces of chicken in your bowl. Serve this with boiled eggs. Optionally, you can add spring onions and fried garlic bits for toppings. Enjoy while still hot. Yum!

What is Lugaw or Arroz Caldo?

Lugaw is a popular Filipino rice porridge dish that is often enjoyed as a comforting meal, particularly during breakfast or on chilly days. The name “arroz caldo” is derived from the Spanish words “arroz” meaning rice and “caldo” meaning broth. It is a dish that showcases the cultural influences of Spanish cuisine in Filipino cooking.

This dish has a long history in the Philippines, tracing its roots back to pre-colonial times when rice was already a staple food in the country. The dish has evolved over the centuries, influenced by various cultures and culinary traditions.

The origins of arroz caldo can be traced to a similar dish called lugaw, which is a plain rice porridge commonly eaten throughout Southeast Asia. However, it was during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines (16th to 19th century) that arroz caldo as we know it today started to take shape. The Spanish introduced ingredients such as garlic, onions, and saffron, which became integral components of the dish. The name “arroz caldo” itself is of Spanish origin, translating to “rice broth” in English. It reflects the use of rice as the main ingredient and the cooking process of simmering it in a flavorful broth.

Lugaw also shows influences from Chinese cuisine, as Chinese traders and immigrants played a significant role in shaping Filipino culinary traditions. The addition of ginger, which is a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine, adds a distinctive flavor and aroma to the dish.

Lugaw Recipe

If you don’t have kayakap this rainy season, make sure to make some chicken arroz caldo to warm yourself up. Our favorite lugaw is made much more exciting, thanks to the chicken.

The Lugaw has a special place in my heart. If everyone has a special part on their tummy for desserts, my tummy has a special part for chicken arroz caldo. Most people enjoy this warm porridge during the rainy season but I have another reason to love it.

Whenever I am sick, chicken arroz caldo is the only meal I can eat. The soft grains of rice allow me to eat easily especially when I have a very low appetite. My lola usually add some flakes of chicken and some mashed veggies to still have a balanced plate even when sick. And just after a few days and few bowls of arroz caldo, I am healed! Chicken arroz caldo seems to have healing powers which is why it is commonly given to sick people.

If you wanna know how to make chicken arroz caldo at home, read and follow the simple steps below. Happy cooking!

How to Cook Lugaw?

Making some lugaw is super easy. If you have tried making any broths or soups in the past, then this recipe will be super easy for you.

Lugaw is just arroz caldo if there’s no chicken. For this recipe, you can choose any cut of chicken you like. My lola used to have chicken breast which she manually flakes, but I always choose to cut a whole chicken for some chicken bites. After an classic incident which I think happens to most people when eating lugaw, my lola had a slightly larger flake of chicken which has almost the same size with her sliced ginger. Since then, I used larger cuts of chicken.

To induce more chicken flavor, I sear my chicken first. This step greatly adds flavor to the dish especially to the oil. Aim to have the chicken half-cooked as the rice cooks fast for later. Saute the aromatics in the chicken oil together with the rice.

Let me give you two notes about the rice. Sauteing the rice is that one essential step which most people do not recognize. I had a friend who thought that the rice will turn puffy (like pinipig) when stir fried. That is both funny and not true! This just adds a layer or aroma to each grain of rice. My next note in making lugaw is to use two types of rice. You might have noticed in the ingredients list that I used half glutinous rice and half regular rice. The use of different types of rice adds texture and consistency to the overall arroz caldo.

The last steps would be cooking the rice and chicken together to form a nice porridge. Make sure to add enough water—unless you want to make steamed rice! You may always add some water if you think that your rice grains absorb much. You may use chicken broth cube to heighten the chicken flavor easily. To add a little color and make the porridge more enticing, I used kasubha. You may use atsuete powder or used none at all.

I love my lugaw straight from the pot to bowl. Once the porridge cools down, it will thicken more so make sure to enjoy while still hot! The best toppings you can add for chicken arroz caldo includes spring onions, fried garlic bits, and chili oil if you like it spicy. Yum!

Lugaw Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 1/2 tasang malagkit na bigas
• 1/2 tasang bigas
• 500 grams manok (hiniwa sa serving pieces)
• thumb-sized luya (hiniwa ng manipis)
• 5 butil ng bawang (hiniwa)
• 1 pirasong sibuyas (hiniwa)
• 1 kutsaritang durog na paminta
• 1 kutsarang kasubha
• patis
• 7 – 8 tasang tubig
• mantika (panggisa)
• 1 pirasong chicken broth cube

Paano Lutuin:

1. Magpainit ng mantika sa malalim na pot. Ilagay ang mga hiniwang manok at lutuin hanggang maging light brown. Pagkatapos, alisin ang mga ito mula sa kawali at ilipat sa muna isang lalagyan.
2. Sa parehong kawali, sunod na ilagay ng luya, bawang, at sibuyas. Igisa ang mga ito ng ilang minuto hanggang maging light brown.
3. Ilagay ang malagkit na bigas at regular bigas. Igisa ng ilang minuto saka timplahan ng patis. Hintayin na mawala ang malakas na amoy ng patis bago ito haluin.
4. Ibalik ang mga manok sa kawali at budburan ng konting asin at paminta. Maglagay ng isang piraso ng chicken broth cube. Lagyan ito ng tubig bilang sabaw. Takpan ang kawali at pakuluin ito ng 20 minuto. Haluin paminsan-minsan para hindi masunog.
5. Idagdag ang kasubha para magkaron ng konting kulay. Hayaan lang itong kumulo hanggang lumapot ang sabaw. Kapag malapot na, ready na ito. Patayin ang apoy.
6. Ilipat ang chicken arroz caldo sa isang serving bowl. Siguraduhing merong mga manok sa iyong bowl. Ihain ito kasama ang mga nilagang itlog. Pwede mo rin itong lagyan ng spring onions o fried garlic bits kung gusto mo. Kainin habang mainit pa. Yum!