"Arroz TapLog" - Beef and Egg Arroz Caldo for KCC Challenge

Today, I bring to you my take on this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge. For those of you who haven't heard of Kulinarya Cooking Club, it is a group of foodies who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. You know that my blog's main objective is to share the goodness of Filipino Cuisine, so I'm sure you can imagine how proud I am to be a member of this awesome club! 

Each month, the club showcases a Filipino dish with the hope of sharing its members' passion and love for Filipino food. For this month, the chosen theme is Arroz Caldo which is one of the most favorite comfort food among Filipinos. Arroz Caldo which is often thought of as one of those Filipino dishes that's of Spanish origin came from the Spanish words, Arroz which means "rice" and Caldo which means "broth"), but is actually an adaptation of the Chinese congee or porridge. It is a thick rice porridge that is flavored with garlic, ginger, onion and safflower (kasubha). The latter is our local saffron which gives Arroz Caldo an appealing aroma and a bright yellow tinge.

In the Philippines, when you say Arroz Caldo, you are actually referring to chicken rice porridge because that's the most common version of this dish. But I've already posted my Chicken Arroz Caldo recipe during my first month of blogging...

...so for this month's Kulinarya Challenge, I thought of making another version which I call "Arroz TapLog". It's Arroz Caldo with Tapa (Cured Beef) and Itlog (Egg). It's kinda like my favorite breakfast, Tapsilog, but in this one, I paired the beef and egg with Arroz Caldo instead of sinangag (fried rice).

Back when I was growing up, my mom loved making Arroz Caldo especially during tag-ulan or rainy season which is from June to November and during tag-lamig or cold season which is from December to February. The Chicken version is what my mom cooked often...but I remember how she would make Beef Arroz Caldo whenever any family member was feeling under the weather. I guess for her, serving this version of Arroz Caldo makes a sick person feel more special and cared for because beef is a lot more expensive than chicken. :) 

Thoughts of my mom's tender loving care inspired me to create this Arroz Taplog for Kulinarya. The flavor of beef tapa gave a twist to the usual Arroz Caldo that my family enjoys.  But I must tell you that no matter what meat is in your Arroz Caldo, it will always bring that comforting and healing effect to your body! The flavors of garlic, ginger, onion and safflower combined with rice and broth is what makes it so filling and satisfying! Whether you're feeling under the weather or just having a tough day, a nice hot bowl of Arroz Caldo will definitely make you feel better!


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Ingredients:
*Serves 8-10

• 2 cups uncooked rice (I use 1 cup jasmine rice and 1 cup glutinous rice)
• 1 lb. beef tapa (see recipe here)
• 6Tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 medium sized onion, minced
• 1/4 cup ginger, minced
• 3 pcs beef cube
• 14 cups water
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp safflower (kasubha)
• 5 Stalks green onion, sliced (white and green part separated)
• 4 Tbsp fried garlic for garnish (see how to make fried garlic here)
• 4 – 6 pcs hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pcs Lemon or 4-6 pcs calamansi (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute garlic in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until light brown.

2. Add ginger and onion, and sauté for a minute.

3. Add beef cubes and stir until it melts.

4. Add rice, water and fish sauce. Mix well. Cover and simmer in medium heat for about 40 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. Stir occasionally.

5. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, fry beef in remaining olive oil until cooked. Remove from skillet and set aside. Chop about 6 strips and add to the rice soup.

6. When rice is cooked, add safflower and white part of the green onions. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Simmer for another minute. If rice soup becomes too thick, add a little water to thin it a bit. 

7. Remove from heat. Ladle to individual serving bowls and top with tapa and egg slices. Garnish with green onions and fried garlic, and sprinkle with lemon (optional) before serving.

Don't forget to check out other Kulinarya members' take on Arroz Caldo for our October-November challenge!

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