Hippie Arroz Caldo

So, this week, I've had the type of horrible heartburn that felt like someone punched me in the chest and kicked me in the back at the same time. It's finally settled down through a liberal dosing of Zantac, but after three days, I was pretty sick of eating apples and sliced bananas.

So, I experimented with the Crock Pot and cooked up some arroz caldo, a Filipino chicken soup and rice porridge. It can be made mild enough for any ailing stomach and is just about my perfect comfort food. I like mine especially sticky and porridgy.

But, the regular recipe calls for a combination of white rice and sweet rice (at least, that's what I think malagkit is). I no longer keep white rice around (I prefer brown rice) and I never have any need for malagkit. I have been looking for an opportunity to use some millet (which, according to that Web page is very easy on the stomach). I also added some pearl barley to make up for the sweetness.

I also added celery --- not traditional --- because 1) I love the taste of cooked celery; 2) celery is very easy on the stomach; 3) I needed to use up about half a bunch of organic celery that was starting to wilt.

The three main grains that I used are commonly found in the bulk organic food aisle of my local Fred Meyer. Hence: Hippie Arroz Caldo.

The following recipe is just a starting point, so I don't forget what I did. I'll probably be tweaking the recipe to adjust the texture. The millet made the concoction very creamy and the pearl barley added sweetness, malty flavor, and a nice bite. I don't know if Hippie "Arroz Caldo" would pass muster with most Filipinos, but I know that it made me happy.

Hippie Arroz Caldo
1 onion - diced
2 cups diced or chopped fresh celery
4 or 5 chicken thighs, skin removed, bone-in
2 inches of fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves of minced garlic
4 or 5 cups of water
salt or chicken bouillon powder to taste
pinch or two of saffron (the traditional spice is called the "kasubha," which I have never seen in a grocery store)
1/4 cup of millet, washed
1/4 cup of pearl barley
1/2 cup of brown rice

Directions:
1) Layer the bottom of a slow-cooker with the onion, ginger, garlic and celery
2) Place the skinned chicken pieces on top of the aromatic vegetables. Season the chicken with the salt or bouillon powder and the saffron.
3) Add about 4 cups of water and set the slow-cooker on low. Leave it alone for 6-8 hours.
4) After 6-8 hours, remove the chicken to a plate and add all the grains at once to the pot and stir. Turn the slow-cooker to high.
5) Shred the chicken meat (should be falling off the bone by now) and discard the bones. Return the shredded meat to the pot and leave it for an hour.
6) The consistency after an hour should be somewhere between soupy rice and thick oatmeal. I prefer it closer to the oatmeal scale. If the soup is too thick, then thin it with hot chicken broth or hot water.

Of course, this is all do-able in a regular pot on the stove, too. No pictures. Sorry, I ate it all. It's not too exciting visually (it's rice porridge, after all), especially since I didn't garnish with the usual green onions and lime juice, because of the whole heartburn situation. Maybe next time, it'll be prettier and I can take a picture of it.