Champorado (Chocolate Rice Porridge)!

Everyone has their favorite childhood food.

This one right here is my ultimate favorite.

The sweetened condensed milk-drawn flower included.

Honestly, this is the only kind of porridge I'd eat willingly.

But there are a few things you need to have before you make champorado.

First of all, the grains. My mom uses two kinds: malagkit (glutinous rice) and bigas (white rice).

Then the tablea.

They look like little stones, right? Haha, nope they aren't. They are peeled cocoa beans that have been sun dried, roasted and then ground and formed into disks (apparently, into other shapes too) like what you're seeing now in the photo.

But don't disregard this delish porridge just because you can't find any tablea!

You can easily use unsweetened cocoa powder instead. See? Problem solved!

Champorado (Chocolate Rice Porridge)

* serves 10-15 people

What you'll be needing:

1 1/2 liter of water

3/4 cup of tablea, shaved thinly or grated/or unsweetened cocoa powder

5 tablespoons sugar, to taste

1 cup of malagkit (glutinous rice)

1/2 cup of bigas (white rice)

What you'll be doing:

In a medium saucepan or casserole, boil water.

Then if you're using tablea shave thinly using a sharp knife or use a grater instead and place in a medium bowl or like I said you can use unsweetened cocoa powder if you can't find any tablea.

Take some hot water from the saucepan/casserole and stir in with the chocolate and then add sugar. The less sugar you put, the more prominent the taste of chocolate would be. Mix thoroughly.

When the water starts to boil take both your rice and pour it in the saucepan/casserole followed by the chocolate and sugar mixture. Stir the two together then cover with the lid.

Check the saucepan/casserole once a while and if the rice has become translucent in color, it's done. Turn off heat and let cool before serving.

Notes:

* There are a couple of ways one can enjoy champorado and that is by eating it alongside a couple of dried fish (tuyo or biya). You can also take a pack of rather salty (but not so much) biscuits like paborita and crush them and take a couple tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk and mix; enjoy!
* Champorado can be eaten warm and cold, no reheating needed!