When we stayed at the Armada Hotel, in Malate, Philippines for almost a whole week, everyday, I started my breakfast with a bowl of congee or lugaw topped with crispily fried dried anchovies or dilis.
It was strange at first as I have never had dilis in my lugaw before but I quickly developed a taste for it. It sets the day right.
Now back in London, I am missing this little treat. Thank goodness it is pretty easy to make at home.
Here is the recipe –
Ingredients
Congee
3 tsp sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup long-grain rice (uncooked)
4 cups vegetable stock or 3 vegetable cubes dissolved in 4 cups of hot water
1/2 ” piece of ginger (grated finely)
Toppings
2 tbsp chili oil
2 tbsp dried anchovies, fried until golden and crispy
1 egg (boiled)
6 cloves garlic, chopped finely and then fried until golden brown
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
Fish sauce
Calamansi or lemon, juiced
Method of Preparation:
Congee
Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan over high heat.
Add the chopped onion and fry until translucent.
Stir in the rice and cook for a couple of minutes until well covered with the oil.
Pour in vegetable stock, add the ginger and bring to a boil.
When it starts to boil, reduce the heat and leave to simmer but ensure to give it a stir once in a while.
When the rice had softened and absorbed most of the liquid and has a porridge-like thickness, then it is cooked but if a more runny consistency is wished, add more hot water.
Toppings
Fry the anchovies in wok or frying pan with a little oil. Stir for 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy all over.
Ladle a good portion for one in a bowl. Add a bit of fish sauce to the congee. Sprinkle with the fried garlic and chopped spring onion then add the chopped boiled egg and dried anchovies.
Finally drizzle with the juice of calamansi or lemon according to taste.
Since I’ve posted Lugaw (congee) or Arroz Caldo, a recipe for Champorado should also fallow. Lugaw and champorado go together like a horse and carriage, like Bill and Ben, like Mulder and Scully, like Holmes and Watson or even Batman and Robin. However there is a minute difference in that champorado is an option to lugaw or vice versa.
They are not usually eaten together. It is a choice you ca make if buying a take-out or eat in any carinderia/eatery in the Philippines. When champorado is being cooked, a pan of lugaw is also bubbling away not far away. Lugaw is salty and champorado is sweet tasting. If you are really starving, of course there is no reason why you can’t have a bowl of each for breakfast! ;). Just make sure to get plenty of exercise later.
Champorado with its chocolatey sweet yummy taste would best eaten also with fried fish, especially the one called “tuyo” – dried fish. The sweetness of the Champorado is then complemented by the saltiness of the dried fish. Utter heaven!!!
1. Boiling malagkit in cocoa water, photo by JMorton
2. Stir constantly so glutinous rice wont stick to the bottom of the pan, photo by JMorton
3. To make the can for easy pouring, make a hole at opposite sides. Photo by JMorton
4. Evaporated milk, ready to pour, Photo by JMorton
5. Champorado for me, Photo by JMorton
6. And one for Peter, Photo by JMorton
Peter loved the champorado.
Champorado or Chocolate Rice Pudding
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice (malagkit)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
5 cups water
3/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
evaporated milk
Method of Preparation:
Wash the glutinous rice (malagkit) thoroughly.
Using a large pan, start boiling the malagkit with 4 cups of water.
Whisk the cocoa powder into 1 cup of water and add to pot.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Add sugar and salt.
Stir until the rice is translucent and is cooked through, have a taste test.
Remove from heat when done.
To serve, generously swirl in evaporated milk/whole milk on top.
Enjoy with fried dried fish. The saltiness of the fish offset the sweetness of the chocolate rice pudding. The dried fish of course is optional. You can easily eat champorado with a nice packet of crisp/chips.
Another Taste Buds, Unlimited by Beth Celis special.
I love this lugaw, or congee in Chinese. Just the business on a cold rainy day. A great complete meal in bowl.
I can almost smell the ginger and taste the sour calamansi enhancing the gloopy rice concoction. I wish I have someone to cook this for me right now! 😉
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken meat cut into cubes
1 thumb sized ginger sliced
1 onion finely slice
1 clove garlic
1 cup of white rice
4 cups of water
1 cup chicken stock
5 tbsp .fish sauce
2 stalks of spring onion
bunch of coriander leaves
2 boiled egg sliced
crispy onion fried to garnish
calamansi (optional)
1 tbsp of cooking oil
This is very good for people who want to have a rice with meat and vegetables mixed dish. I like this especially when the weather is cold. And this is very good when you are living in a cold country.
Wash rice properly.
Then saute the onion, garlic and ginger first and add the chicken pieces and the rice.
Add the water and the chicken stock and let it boil for 1 hour on slow to medium heat.
Keep on stirring and after all are cooked and soft, add the fish sauce (patis) to taste.
Transfer them to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves .
Add a sliced hard boiled egg and the crispy fried onion and calamansi (optional). Serve hot.
