When my Filipino mother married my Bangladeshi father, she dedicated her time learning to cook traditional Bengali dishes (see our favorite egg curry recipe here). Familiar herbs like coriander took on a new name (dhaniya) and spices that were foreign to her, like cardamom, became a staple in her pantry.

As the years went by, our dinners became predominately a combination of American and Bengali meals, so it was always a treat when she would cook noodle dishes like pancit (see recipe here) or sotanghon, or the little meat-filled steamed bun, siapao. 

As an adult, I’ve tried to learn and recreate some of the classic Filipino dishes that were such a big part of my mother’s childhood. Her favorite meal growing up was this Arroz Caldo, a congee (rice porridge) with chicken, rice, broth, and fresh garlic. Onion, garlic, and ginger are sautéed in a large pot, then chicken is added and browned (any type of chicken will do, but I prefer bone-in skinless chicken thighs). Add long-grained white rice, fish sauce, and chicken broth, and let all the ingredients simmer on the stove until the rice is tender and cooked. Ladle into bowls, top with scallions, fried garlic, eggs, and squeezes of fresh lemon juice, and serve hot.