From Paul Qui’s Table to Yours: Arroz Caldo Recipe

An award-winning chef shares his recipe for people with cystic fibrosis, just in time for the holidays.

| 5 min read
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Dora Nagy
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The Central Texas Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hosted their fourth annual Qui to the Cure fundraising event on Nov. 20 at Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas.

Paul Qui, the season nine winner of “Top Chef” and a James Beard award-winning chef, joined the chapter as they helped raise funds to fight cystic fibrosis. The event -- which raised more than $230,000 for the CF Foundation -- featured Paul's modernist, “no boundaries” approach to food and featured live entertainment, dancing and a silent auction.

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Paul was kind enough to share a recipe of his own for people with CF to try at home. Arroz caldo is one of Paul's favorite cold weather foods; it's simple to make and very satisfying. It shows the influence of both China and Spain on Filipino cooking, as well as Paul's Japanese training.

We tried this recipe out for ourselves and found that it was indeed simple and satisfying! Check it out below.

Arroz Caldo

Filipino broken rice porridge

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Ingredient List:

  • 1 cup grain rice, koshihikari rice (can be found at an Asian market or use calrose rice)
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 3 pounds pork shoulder
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 3 smashed garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup tamari (aged soy sauce)
  • ¼ cup coconut vinegar
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup pork stock (may be substituted with chicken stock)
  • 1 cup dashi (may be omitted)
  • 1 tablespoon sliced green onion 
  • 2 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chili oil (may be omitted)
  • Bonito flakes
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Start by making the broken rice

  • 1 cup grain rice, koshihikari rice (can be found at an Asian market)

Pulse the rice in a blender until broken. Strain through a colander, reserving the broken rice apart from the sifting rice flour.

Note from the editor: You can use calrose rice as a substitute for the koshihikari rice. Chopping the rice shouldn't take more than five minutes.

Next, make the rice porridge base

  • 1 cup broken rice (see above)
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 pinches salt

Simmer the rice and salt in the water until the starches come out of the rice, but the rice bits are not overcooked (stir often). This base can be made ahead and finished up to two days later.

Note from the editor: Cook on low-medium heat for 20 minutes, and make sure to stir often so that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Then, on to the braised/fried pork 

  • 3 pounds pork shoulder
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 3 smashed garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup tamari (aged soy sauce)
  • ¼ cup coconut vinegar

Cut the pork shoulder into cubes and season with salt. Braise the pork in about 1½ inches of water until the fat has been rendered and the pork is yielding (about two hours). Once the moisture from the pork is evaporated, the fat in the pan will begin to brown the pork. When the pork is evenly browned and crispy, add the onion, peppers and garlic. Once the moisture evaporates from these aromatics, but before the onion begins to brown, deglaze with the tamari and coconut vinegar. Reserve for the finishing of the porridge.

Note from the editor: As an alternative to braising it in the oven, consider cutting the pork into large chunks, or cubes, and then braise it by cooking on the stove top in a deep-sided pan. Look for the tamari in the international aisle of your local grocery store. This step required very little attention other than occasional stirring.

Final step of the Arroz Caldo 

  • 7 cups rice porridge base
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup pork stock
  • 1 cup dashi (may be omitted)

Bring the base up to a simmer and add the chicken stock, pork stock and dashi. Simmer until the porridge is loose but viscous at the same time. Season to taste. The stocks may be varied to fit your taste.

Note from the editor: You can substitute pork stock with an additional cup of the chicken stock. Cook on low-medium heat for about 20 minutes until the porridge begins to thicken.

 

Plating and presentation

  • 1 tablespoon sliced green onion 
  • 2 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chili oil
  • Bonito flakes

Place about 6 ounces of the porridge into a bowl. Top with about ¼ cup of the pork mixture. Finish with sliced green onion, black vinegar, chili oil and bonito flakes to garnish.

Note from the editor: The chili oil will add a bit of spice, while the bonito flakes will give it a smoky taste. Both ingredients can be found in the international aisle of your local grocery store. If you don't like spicy foods, consider omitting the chili oil.

Bon appétit!

This site contains general information about cystic fibrosis, as well as personal insight from the CF community. Opinions and experiences shared by members of our community, including but not limited to people with CF and their families, belong solely to the blog post author and do not represent those of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, unless explicitly stated. In addition, the site is not intended as a substitute for treatment advice from a medical professional. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your treatment.

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Topics
Fundraising | Nutrition
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Dora previously worked at the Foundation as a writer and editor. During her tenure, she loved to listen to others share their memories and experiences, and consumed storytelling in all of its different forms. She constantly looks for the uniqueness in everyone's story. Dora has a B.A. in communications from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an M.S. in public policy and administration from the London School of Economics. Born in Budapest, Hungary, Dora was raised mainly in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area where she currently resides today.

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