Vegan Arroz Caldo (Congee)
Servings 5 people
Equipment
- 6-8qt soup pot or cast iron Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185g) uncooked long grain rice (I used Jasmine rice)
- 6 cloves (2 tbsp) garlic minced
- ¼ medium (⅓ cup) yellow onions diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger thinly sliced
- 5 pcs shiitake mushrooms roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp vegetable paste (or any non-chicken bouillon / base)
- 1 tbsp low sodium tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- 8 cups (64 fl oz) water
- 1 cup choice of plant protein (see notes)
- saffron threads
- splash of calamansi juice (Philippine lime or sub lemon juice)
- salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
- scallions thinly sliced
- crispy garlic
- spicy chili oil
- fried crispy shallots
- vegetarian or vegan "pork" rinds crushed
- crispy fried or baked tofu
- aromatic oils (garlic, scallion, or herb oil)
- fresh herbs and sprouts
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse your rice until water runs clear. Set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat a soup pot to medium heat and coat a tablespoon of oil. Sauté onions and ginger for about 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Toss in the garlic, saffron threads and stir until garlic is golden brown. Season with salt & pepper.
- Add the mushrooms and choice of plant protein into the pot and sauté until it is golden brown and well incorporated with the aromatics. Toss the uncooked rice and stir until well combined.
- Pour the water into the pot. Dissolve vegetable paste into the mix and stir. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the rice to simmer until it tenderizes. Stir occasionally every after 3-4 minutes.
- Once rice has softened and thickened, add the splash of tamari. And season with salt & pepper to taste. Squeeze a splash of calamansi (Philippine lime) or lemon to finish.
- Garnish with suggested toppings such as crispy garlic, scallions, crispy tofu, chili oil, aromatic oils (such as garlic or scallion oil), or crushed vegan "pork" rinds, fresh herbs and/or sprouts. Enjoy!
Notes
Plant protein substitutes - will include soy curls, textured vegetable protein (TVP), any vegan "chick'n" substitute, or tofu. Personally, soy curls, textured vegetable protein, or small dices of tofu will work best in this.
Vegetable Paste - I used Better Than Bouillon in either the vegetable flavor or no-chicken flavor. If you do not have this, substitute liquid ingredient to vegetable broth instead. Any "no chicken" base bouillon or broth will do to give that "chicken porridge" illusion.
Saffron Threads - In traditional Filipino Arroz Caldo, saffron threads are often used for flavor and that vivid yellow color. The organic ones found in supermarkets can be very pricy. But you can find saffron threads in most Asian section of a grocery store for a cheaper price.