Ingredients
Porridge
- 300 gglutinous rice
- 1.5 litreswater
- 60 gunsweetened cocoa powder, or 100 g tablea
- 150 gsugar
- a pinch of salt
To serve
- evaporated or condensed milk
- tuyo, salted dried fish, fried
Directions
- Rinse the glutinous rice once only, and briefly.
- Bring the water to the boil, add the rice, and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the grains are soft and the liquid has visibly thickened.
- Stir frequently and scrape the base of the pan. If you are using tablea, dissolve the tablets in a ladleful of the hot porridge first, mashing them against the side of the bowl, then stir that back in.
- Simmer for a further 10 minutes, then stir in the sugar and the pinch of salt. It should be thick enough to hold the trail of a spoon for a moment and still pour.
- Serve hot in bowls with evaporated milk swirled over the top. Leftovers set solid in the refrigerator and are eaten cold in slabs, or loosened with milk and reheated.
Technique
- It was adapted from Mexican champurrado through the Manila galleon trade, which brought cacao and a good deal else across the Pacific.
- Tablea is pure ground roasted cacao with no sugar and no milk solids, and it makes a noticeably darker and more bitter porridge than cocoa powder.
- The tuyo is not optional if you want the dish as Filipinos eat it. Sweet and salty together is the whole construction.
Substitutions
- Dark chocolate at 70 per cent, chopped fine, in place of tablea.
- Short-grain rice, which gives a looser and less sticky porridge.
Variations
- Made with coconut milk instead of some of the water.
- With danggit in place of tuyo.
- Champurrado, the Mexican original, which is maize-based and a drink rather than a porridge.
History
Adapted from Mexican champurrado through the Manila galleon trade, which brought cacao and Mexican foodways to the islands.
Frequently asked questions
What is Champorado?
Champorado is a breakfast from Philippines: chocolate rice porridge eaten with salted dried fish on the side. Adapted from Mexican champurrado through the Manila galleon trade, which brought cacao and Mexican foodways to the islands.
How long does Champorado take to make?
Champorado takes 5 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Champorado?
Yes, within limits. Dark chocolate at 70 per cent, chopped fine, in place of tablea. Short-grain rice, which gives a looser and less sticky porridge.
What is the most important thing to get right in Champorado?
The tuyo is not optional if you want the dish as Filipinos eat it. Sweet and salty together is the whole construction.
