The Filipino "Chicken Soup": Arroz Caldo

I am sick with the flu. Lying in bed, hacking away and feeling miserable, I remember when I was little, Mom would always make me some lugaw or arroz caldo. Mom's lugaw was always more bland, a hot rice porridge with boiled chicken and broth (back when I still wasn't vegetarian). Coming to the Philippines though, I was introduced to more flavorful arroz caldos so in my mind lugaw always referred to the bland stuff while arroz caldo was more vibrant, colorful, and flavorful. Lugaw is what I want when I have no appetite and can't keep down anything. But today, since I feel like I'm starving, what I am wanting is arroz caldo.. I looked around for recipes and found this one. I was sick, however, and didn't feel like doing it the "long" way and I wanted more garlic, more ginger, and lemon grass for their health benefits and flavor and I wanted lemon juice for throat-soothing reasons, so this is the version that happened today:

1 T grapeseed oil
1/5 medium onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 in ginger, smashed
1 lemongrass, outer leaves peeled, top leaves cut off, bulb hammered and then whole thing tied in a knot
1/2 can gluten or vege-abalone
1 egg, boiled
1 cup rice, cooked
2 cups water
1/2 cube chicken Knorr
salt & pepper to taste (I like to put a lot of pepper)
2 tsp fish sauce
3 T lemon juice
pinch saffron
1 green onion, sliced

Saute onion, garlic, ginger and lemon grass together in oil until fragrant and onions translucent. Add gluten and cook for 3 minutes. Remove gluten from pot. Add rice, water and Knorr, salt & pepper, and fish sauce. Stir and cover part way and lower heat and let mixture thicken to desired consistency. You may add water to thin mixture if it becomes too thick. Add lemon juice and pinch of saffron. Mix. Pour into bowl. Top with sliced egg, gluten, and green onions.

It was hot & sour, good for the throat, full of garlic, ginger, & lemongrass--all good for your health. Perfect comfort food for when you're sick.