Recipe | Chicken-Kalabasa (Squash) Arroz Caldo

Matagal-tagal na rin kaming hindi nakakapag-arroz caldo tapos nag-crave na lang ako non dahil nag-uulan noong ilang araw. E kaso may nakita pa akong kalabasa sa ref, tapos sawa na akong i-bulanglang iyon, pakbet o kaya igisa lang kasama ang pechay. Kaya naisipan kong ihalo sa arroz caldo para mas 'healthy' lalo na't fave ni Oyo yung kalabasa.

Magandang alternative itong recipe na ito sa mga chikiting natin na ayaw ng gulay (miski prutas naman talaga yung kalabasa). Hindi nila mahahalata na may kalabasa pala yung kinakain nila. Puwede niyong bawasan muna yung amount ng kalabasa as a start, tapos next time niyo lutuin, dagdagan niyo na. May hint lang ng lasa ng kalabasa itong dish na ito at mas nag-o-overpower pa rin yung classic arroz caldo taste.

Pero bago kayo mag-yuck diyan, alamin muna natin yung mga health benefits nito:

About the recipe, puwede niyong gawin na alternative sa malagkit yung rolled oats (tulad ng ginawa ni Erwan Heusaff sa arroz caldo niya). Thanks, Tricia, for suggesting it, btw. :)

Tapos, kung wala kayong hand blender, food processor, o blender...

...puwede niyong alternative e ang potato masher.

May recipe video ako nito kaso hindi ko pa ma-e-edit sa ngayon at OA sa time-consuming ang pag-blog tapos mas OA na yung pag-video editing. :p Try ko next time.

Nutrition facts at the bottom of the page, btw.

Chicken-Kalabasa (Squash) Arroz Caldo

Author: curlyscribbler (Apple G.)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-6 persons
A savory Filipino rice porridge with a twist.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium red onions, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3 tbsps chopped ginger
• 1/4 kg chicken breast (with or without bones), pwedeng tinola o adobo cut
• 200-250 grams kalabasa (squash), sliced
• 1 cup malagkit (glutinous) rice, washed (or rolled oats)
• 4-6 cups of hot water
• 1 tbsp kasubha (safflower)
• 1/8 cup patis (fish sauce) or 2-3 tbsps salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• kalamansi
• *boiled eggs
• *chopped chives

Instructions:

1. Clean chicken with rock salt and rinse thoroughly to remove its impurities. Add a tablespoon of rock salt once again and set aside.
2. Heat sauce pot under medium fire before adding oil.
3. Sweat onions until translucent before adding garlic. Once garlic becomes fragrant, add in ginger.
4. Toss in kalabasa (squash) and stir occasionally until half-cooked.
5. Transfer kalabasa onto a deep container if you're using a hand blender, or directly onto your food processor/blender.
6. Before mashing the kalabasa (squash), pour and heat oil onto the sauce pot then saute chicken until half-cooked.
7. Add patis (fish sauce) or rock salt and stir.
8. While letting the chicken cook, mash the cooked kalabasa (squash) by adding around 1/2 cup of water before blending/processing until smooth. Remember that you should slightly open the lid if you're using a blender, or remove the tube part of your food processor to let hot air out. You have the option to make it chunky, so just pulse. Set aside.
9. Then add washed malagkit (glutinous) rice or rolled oats onto the sauce pot with seared chicken. And sprinkle kasubha (safflower). Give it a good stir.
10. Pour in mashed kalabasa (squash) onto the pot and warm water. Stir and let it simmer uncovered.
11. Add water from time to time if needed. Stir occasionally to avoid burnt rice/oats at the bottom of the pan.
12. Test rice/oats if cooked, adjust taste if needed.
13. Serve with boiled egg, kalamansi (or lime), and garnish it with chopped chives or cilantro. You may add crispy garlic too.