Goto (Arroz Caldo con Goto or Beef Tripe Congee)

In the Philippines, aside from the more famous Callos and Kare-Kare, beef tripe is also cook in a congee-type soup (“lugaw”) called “Goto” or “Arroz Caldo con Goto”. It is a popular breakfast or snack (“merienda”) meal especially in the cities where people are always on the go. You can eat it from high end restaurants, mall food courts and even roadsides eateries.

Our net friend Wiki says beef tripe is usually made only from the first three chambers of a cow's stomach: the rumen (blanket/flat/smooth tripe), the reticulum (honeycomb and pocket tripe), and the omasum (book/bible/leaf tripe). I think the first two are what the Filipino collectively called “tuwalya” and last one is “libro”. Any of these can be used for that comfort food called “Goto”.

The main two (2) ingredients you need in making “Goto” are as follows: First, 1 ½ cup rice, a combination of regular long grain and glutinous would be perfect, but since I only have Thailand Jasmine so I have to settle with it. Washed the rice properly then drained thoroughly in a fine strainer. Brown it in a medium hot pan without oil and set aside.

Second, ½ kl beef tripe or “tuwalya”/”libro”, meticulously cleaned (do it several times) then boiled and slowly simmered in a casserole with enough water to cover and 2 pcs crushed thumb-sized ginger until pork tender. Others boiled tripe in garlic, bay leaves, onion, carrots and whole pepper corn but for me just ginger is enough to remove all that unwanted smell and after taste. I don’t use the water used in boiling anyway. Sliced the tender tripe in strips of 1 cm by 3 cm (3/8 inch by 1 inch) and set aside.

Other ingredients are your basic sautéing stuff and some really good chicken (or pork) broth (this is important). The broth from the boiled tripe as I said above is a no-no for me. You can use it at your own risk.....:-)

So you also need 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 head of garlic, peeled and minced, 1 pc thumb-sized ginger, julienned, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 onion, chopped, 1 tsp ground pepper, about 10 cups broth (maybe more), 1 pc leeks, sliced diagonally, 1 tsp “kasuba”, salt to taste and 3 tbsp minced spring/green onion.

Heat oil in a thick large casserole then sauté garlic and ginger. Add the fish sauce, onion, ground pepper and continue sautéing.

Add the browned rice and sliced tripe. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until the rice grains are cooked and puffed.

Add the leeks and “kasuba” and let it simmer for 3 more minutes. Adjust the broth level according the consistency you like. My father likes it thin while my mother wants it a little sticky so I go to the middle ……… which my wife prefers….c”,). Taste and add salt if necessary.

When you’re satisfied with the taste, turn off the heat, sprinkle the spring onion on top and return the cover for another minute. Just another minute, please wait, you’ll have it soon.

You can serve is as you wish, some toasted garlic and sliced boiled egg (or salted egg) on top and calamansi on the side are just perfect additions. Enjoy. As for me, I have to rush some to my Dad, this is his favorite.