Arroz Caldo

Trim unwanted fat from chicken parts, wash and drain well. Wash rice and drain well. Set aside around 1 tsp of the minced garlic. In a small pan, fry over low heat the remainder of the garlic until brown and toasted. In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil. Saute ginger, onions and the teaspoon of reserved garlic until tender and aromatic. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and have rendered juice. Pour in fish sauce. Continue to stir for around 1 to 2 minutes. Add in rice. Stir continously until rice starts to lightly brown. Pour in 10 cups of the water. Allow to a boil, removing scum that may float to surface. Add bouillion cubes. Cover pot and lower heat to simmer. Check and stir regularly. Add the rest of the water in 1 cup increments and as needed. Continue to cook until the rice has softened and the congee has thickened to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste ( I used about 1/8 tsp pepper and 1/2 tbsp salt). Ladle into bowls and top with chopped green onions and fried garlic bits. Squirt in calamansi or lemon juice to taste. Serve hot. Tip: Mince ginger as small as you can so that they are almost unrecognizable in the soup.