I’m finally better after being sick for two weeks, the first few days of which were devoted to making and eating arroz caldo, a rice porridge that my mom and grandmothers used to make for me as a kid. Its Spanish name translated means “rice soup.” One of the best things about arroz caldo is how ubiquitous it is in Filipino cuisine: It’s eaten for breakfast, as merienda (a mid-afternoon snack) or sometimes even as a late-night meal. It’s served in homes and on street corners, and has a million and one variations. Often served with slivers of tender, flaked chicken; I prefer mine with a plain hard-boiled egg. It’s sometimes topped with crisp, deep-fried golden garlic pieces or fresh rings of green onion. Any way it’s eaten, it’s ultimate comfort in a bowl.

When E. saw me make this, he said, “Wow, that looks…really Asian.” I had to laugh, because that thought never occurred to me—it was just simple arroz caldo, something I’ve cobbled together for years without even thinking about it. But to him, it’s a new, foreign thing. And this is something I’ve actually loved discovering: the many differences in how we eat. When E.’s sick, it’s usually Chicken Noodle Soup to the rescue. Our mealtimes have given me an appreciation of what each of us, literally, brings to the table.

If you’re interested, here’s my recipe for arroz caldo. It’s a really simple version (I’m a minimalist when it comes to this dish!), but big on that heavenly, almost-therapeutic flavor of ginger.

And I’m also including my foolproof way of making hard-boiled eggs to top your bowl off. I know boiling eggs should be fairly easy, but so many overeager cooks get it wrong, which means rubbery eggs with smelly, green yolks. I’ve finally gotten the perfect egg down to a science, and hopefully this means no more green yolks for you either.

ARROZ CALDO

3 teaspoons Canola oil

4 cloves garlic, mined

2-3 tablespoons ginger root, cut into small pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, washed and drained

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

salt

fresh-ground black pepper

fresh lemon slices

- In a saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat

- Saute the onion until wilted and transparent. Drop in the ginger and stir-fry for another minute or two until the ginger gives off its characteristic, herby smell. Add the garlic, cook until aromatic (but not brown).

- Stir in the drained, wet jasmine rice and cook for about two minutes, giving the grains a chance to soak in all the flavors already in the pot.

- Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring to make sure none of the rice has stuck to the bottom of the pot. Lower to a simmer.

- Cook, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust liquid as necessary (some prefer their arroz caldo soupier than others.)

- Ladle into a bowl and top with a sliced hard-boiled egg. Enjoy with a squeeze or two of lemon.

PERFECT HARD-BOILED EGGS

- Place your eggs in a saucepan, and cover with COOL water (v.  important that you don’t start with warm water!) by about one inch.

- Slowly bring your water to a boil with medium heat.

- Upon boiling (as in a strong, rolling boil), cover your pan and remove from your heat source. Let sit for 12 minutes. This will vary, depending on how strongly your rolling boil was. This is what’s worked for me so far!

- Run eggs under cool water, peel and enjoy!

I’m not in tip-top shape yet, but I hope to get back to being creative and writing about it soon. In the meantime, I hope you’ve been well and virus-free!