This cold, wet season calls for porridge

INGREDIENTS

For rice porridge

1/4 kilo chicken

1/4 kilo malagkit rice 1 thumb-sized ginger, minced/grated

1 to 2 medium sized onions, sliced 1 to 2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1/4 cup chopped spring onions

4 to 7 medium sized calamansi

For lemony chicken

4 pcs. chicken thighs

1 1/4 cup chicken stock (from porridge preparation)

2 tbsp. mustard

1 lemon, juiced

1 tbsp. lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

A pinch of salt

4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tbsp. olive oil + 1 tbsp. salted butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, smashed

PROCEDURE

Rice porridge

1. Boil chicken until tender. Once tender, take out the chicken and set aside the broth. From that broth, set aside 1 1/4 cup for lemony chicken preparation later on. Remove chicken skin and shred meat into bite sizes.

2. Boil malagkit rice into the chicken broth then add water to desired thickness of the rice.

3. When rice is almost cooked, add the shredded chicken, ginger, and onions.

4. Once rice is cooked, add sh sauce and chicken boullion.

5. Garnish with sautéed garlic and pepper.

Lemony chicken

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, combine mustard, one tsp. lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, olive oil, and butter.

3. Thoroughly coat chicken with the mustard rub.

4. In a measuring jug, mix together lemon juice, remaining lemon zest, and chicken stock. Set aside.

5. In a skillet or frying pan, heat oil. Cook smashed garlic for a minute or just until golden brown. Remove garlic.

6. Place chicken on the pan skin- side down, into the garlic-infused oil for two to three minutes or until the skin turns golden brown.

7. Flip chicken onto an oven-safe container and pour what’s left from the pan. Add the lemon juice mixture. Place into the oven and cook for 25 to 35 minutes.

8. Serve with hot porridge.