Champorado — Filipino Chocolate Rice Porridge

Ingredients

• 1 cup sticky (glutinous) rice, or short-grain in a pinch
• 4 cups water
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or 4 tablea chocolate discs, the traditional way)
• ⅓ cup sugar, plus more to taste
• Pinch of salt
• Condensed milk or coconut milk, for the swirl on top

Method

1. Simmer the rice in the water over medium-low heat, stirring now and then so it doesn't catch, until swollen and porridge-thick, 18–20 minutes.
2. Whisk the cocoa with a ladle of the hot cooking liquid in a cup until smooth — adding it dry to the pot means chasing lumps for ten minutes.
3. Stir the cocoa slurry, sugar, and salt into the rice and simmer 3–4 minutes more until glossy and thick.
4. Adjust: more water if it's standing up on its own, more sugar if your morning requires it.
5. Serve hot with condensed or coconut milk swirled generously on top. In the Philippines it comes with salty dried fish on the side — salty-sweet works; trust generations of breakfasts.