Champorado con Queso - A Comfort Food


champorado con queso
Here is a recipe of Champorado I so love and discovered when I was still a child.  My first encounter of this dish was when I was spending one of those summers in one of my aunt's house in Bicutan. The memory of her cooking this for merienda (snack) is still vivid to me.  She was stirring the champorado and putting on the cheese when I asked her, "Why are you putting cheese?"  She smiled and told me, "It's yummier this way. You'll know later."

She was right, it never tasted that good! And since then, I never ate champorado without the cheese. So Tita Ellen, if you are reading this, I'd like to thank you for introducing this to me.  

I like sticky champorado, I don't like it soupy.  I actually preferred it cold than warm.  Weird? I also think so *wink* 

And if I have not mentioned it, champorado is one of my comfort foods.  Probably because it has chocolate? Or maybe because the happy memories of eating champorado were those of my aunts, siblings, cousins and of my lolo who used to prepare this for me before I go to school.  How I miss my lolo.  Now I'm teary eyed *snif* snif*.  I just miss my lolo so much! He's now happy in heaven I'm sure.

Anyway, from family to family (within my own) they cook this differently - the way their children like it to be.  My version is a combination of my mom's, which uses Ovaltine or Milo and my Tita Ellen's - with cheese.

CHAMPORADO con QUESO


1/2 cup uncooked glutinous rice (malagkit)
1/2 cup cooked rice
5 cups water
3 Tbsp cocoa powder 
3 Tbsp Ovaltine or Milo
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated and more for garnish

In a casserole, bring to boil the first three ingredients.  Simmer for 30 minutes with constant stirring.

Cocoa provides the bitter chocolatey taste while the Ovaltine or Milo brings in the sweet chocolate taste.  Best of both worlds!

In a separate bowl, dissolve cocoa and Ovaltine with 1/2 cup tap/warm water.  Pour over simmering rice.  Stir and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add sugar and cheese.  Stir and simmer for another 5 minutes or until champorado is already sticky.

Cheddar cheese gives that salty taste which enhances the sweetness of the champorado.

Top with grated cheese and serve.

Heaven! 


I'm sure you also have your own childhood food stories. I'd love to hear them!


Comments

  1. ate, alam mo bang kakakwento ko lang nito sa katrabaho ko.. gawa ka uli! sarap e huhu miss ko na 'to :(

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  2. wow... chocolate rice.. interesting, never heard of this, love the idea!

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  3. my siblings and i love eating champorado with cheddar cheese, too! we normally eat it with tuyo but if it's not available we grab the cheese. lol. :D

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  4. Thank you for sharing your recipe, i'm just a newbie in the kitchen and I would love to try it with cheese since I love everything with cheese

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