Lugaw is a comforting Filipino rice porridge (similar to congee) typically served for breakfast or during the colder months. Many Filipinos have their own version of lugaw, but this is the one that I grew up eating.
In my opinion, lugaw is the perfect cozy meal for a snowy day in. To serve, I like adding a hardboiled egg, garlic chips, scallions, and a squeeze of lime for added flavour. You could also add a drizzle of chili oil if you like.
Related: How to Make Traditional Chinese Congee From Scratch
ingredients
Toppings
directions
Annatto powder can be substituted with a pinch of saffron.
Add a drizzle of oil to a large pot, then sauté chopped onions, half of the sliced garlic, and ginger (optional) until soft. Cook over medium-high heat.
Add the rinsed rice, salt, annatto powder, and water. Stir everything together, then cover and let simmer for 50-60 minutes until thick. Be sure to stir every 15 minutes to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
While the lugaw is cooking, heat a drizzle of neutral oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the rest of the sliced garlic until golden brown. Keep an eye on the garlic to prevent it from burning.
Once garlic is golden, transfer into a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt.
Taste the lugaw and adjust the seasoning as needed, then add ground black pepper to taste.
Ladle a few scoops of lugaw into a bowl, then add a sliced hardboiled egg, garlic chips, chopped scallions, and a squeeze of lime juice on top.
