Chef-tested recipe
Chocolate glutinous-rice porridge made with tablea and paired with crisp salted fish
Champorado is a Filipino chocolate rice porridge traditionally eaten at breakfast or merienda. Glutinous rice cooks slowly until creamy, then unsweetened cacao tablea gives the porridge its earthy chocolate depth. Evaporated milk softens the cacao while fried tuyo supplies the salty contrast that makes this pairing distinctly Filipino.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- 45 mins
- Resting Time
- 5 mins after cooking.
- Total Time
- 1 hour 5 mins
- Cuisine
- Filipino
- Course
- Breakfast or merienda
- Cooking Method
- Simmering and shallow-frying
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Best Served With
- Crisp fried tuyo, extra evaporated milk, pandesal, or sliced ripe banana.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Heavy 3-litre saucepanpaid link
- Small frying panpaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
- Fine sievepaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
- Ladlepaid link
Ingredients
For the champorado
- Glutinous ricepaid link: 250 g
- Water: 1.8 litres, plus more if needed
- Unsweetened Filipino tablea: 160 g, finely chopped
- Dark muscovado sugarpaid link: 100 g, or to taste
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 2 g
- Evaporated milk: 240 ml, plus more for serving
For the tuyo
- Small dried salted herring or tuyopaid link: 6
- Neutral cooking oilpaid link: 30 ml
Preparation Overview
Rinse the glutinous rice briefly under cool water and drain; do not wash until the water runs clear because some surface starch helps thicken the porridge. Chop the tablea so it melts evenly. Wipe loose salt or scales from the tuyo and keep the fish dry before frying.
Method
Put the rice and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring from the bottom.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the rice does not catch.
When the grains are swollen and the porridge is creamy, stir in the chopped tablea. Cook for 8–10 minutes until fully dissolved.
Add muscovado sugar and salt. Adjust the consistency with a little hot water if the porridge is thicker than you prefer.
Stir in 120 ml evaporated milk, simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Fry the tuyo for 2–3 minutes per side until crisp and aromatic. Drain on paper towel.
Ladle the champorado into bowls, drizzle with the remaining milk, and serve one tuyo alongside each portion.
Beginner Technique Notes
Use glutinous rice, also sold as sticky rice or malagkit, rather than ordinary long-grain rice.
Stir more often as the porridge thickens because the starch settles and scorches easily.
Tablea varies in bitterness and sugar content. Sweeten only after the chocolate has dissolved so you can judge the balance.
Tips and Variations
For a deeper cacao flavour, toast the dry glutinous rice in the saucepan for 2 minutes before adding water.
Coconut milk can replace evaporated milk for a dairy-free porridge, but the flavour will be less typical of the familiar milk-topped version.
Serve the tuyo separately so each diner can alternate salty bites with spoonfuls of champorado.
Serving Ideas
- Serve the porridge hot and slightly loose; it continues to thicken in the bowl. Remove the head and bones from the tuyo before taking small salty bites between spoonfuls.
Storage
Refrigerate the champorado and fried fish in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the porridge gently with 60–120 ml water or milk until steaming. Reheat tuyo in a dry pan or air fryer until crisp.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains fish and milk. Tablea should contain cacao only, but check the label for milk, soy, or nut cross-contact. Use coconut milk and omit the tuyo for an alternative suited to those avoiding dairy or fish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is champorado served with tuyo?
The salty, savoury dried fish balances the sweet and bitter chocolate porridge, creating a classic Filipino contrast.
Can ordinary rice replace glutinous rice?
It can make a chocolate rice porridge, but it will not have champorado’s characteristic creamy, sticky body.
Why did my champorado become too thick?
Glutinous rice keeps absorbing liquid as it stands. Stir in hot water or milk until the desired consistency returns.
Can cocoa powder replace tablea?
Yes in an emergency, but pure Filipino tablea gives a fuller roasted cacao flavour. Use about 70 g unsweetened cocoa and adjust the sugar.
