Champorado, A Unique Rice Porridge From Philippines
Image Credit: Champorado, Image Source: thelittleepicurean

In Philippine cuisine, champorado, also known as tsampurado, is a sweet chocolate rice porridge. Traditional recipes call for tablea, which are traditional tablets composed of pure ground roasted cocoa beans. The sticky rice is cooked along with tablea. It can be served hot or cold, commonly for breakfast or merienda, with milk (or coconut milk) and sugar to taste. This porridge is typically consumed on its alone, but daing or tuyo, salted, dried fish, is a popular accompaniment. It's also customary to have it with some bread or pandesal on the side.

In the Visayan-speaking zones of the Philippines, tiguong is a form of champorado. Instead of tablea, sticky rice is cooked with sugar in this version. Sometimes, it's enhanced with milk or coffee.

Its origins can be traced to the Philippines' time under Spanish colonial rule. Mexican merchants carried the art of manufacturing champurrado to the Philippines during the galleon trade between Mexico and the latter. The recipe evolved through time. Subsequently, Filipinos discovered a way to transform the Mexican champurrado into a Philippine champorado. They simple swapped masa with sticky rice.

Tableya, also known as Tablea, are chocolate discs prepared from ground-up cacao beans. Unsweetened cocoa powder or dark chocolate bars can also be used. Let's learn this exotic and unique porridge. 

Champorado

Rice porridge, Champorado, Image Source: theunlikelybaker

Ingredients

  • 5 pieces tablea pure chocolate
  • 1 3/4 cups glutinous rice or sushi rice
  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 6 to 8 cups water
  • Condensed milk to taste

Method

  1. Fill a cooking pot with drinking water and place it on flame
  2. Bring it to a boil
  3. Pour in the tablea and stir immediately
  4. Allow it to dissolve in hot water
  5. Wash and thoroughly clean the rice and introduce it to the hot water
  6.  Allow the water to boil
  7.  To avoid or prevent sticking, lower the heat to a low-medium setting and stir often
  8.  When the rice begins to absorb water, it should be ready (about 15 to 25 minutes). 
  9. Put the sugar in and stir until it melts
  10. Serve the champorado in individual bowls
  11.  Add condensed milk on top

Dish it with tuyo and enjoy