Staying indoors as the rain pours? Here are the Filipino comfort foods to try
It’s been pouring for days and what better way to warm up your spirits (snuggling under your sheets aside) than the best Pinoy comfort food for rainy days — straight from Filipino Americans themselves.
With National Weather Report’s forecast of continuous downpour this week, across major parts of Southland California and gusty winds and rainfall to be expected back again from Wednesday evening until Friday, it’s the perfect time to enjoy some comfort food.
We’re not just talking about Filipino foods but ones bringing back childhood memories, nostalgia and home. Lumpia and adobo may be stepping out of the limelight but these Filipino rainy day foods are also your best bets in simple family gatherings.
A Filipino feast of comfort food for rainy days
When it seems like the gloomy days and rain pours like there’s no tomorrow, here is a treasure trove of comfort food options on these days when curling up is non-negotiable.
Coffee and hot pandesal
@jb_julian1 TRY DIPPING YOUR BREAD/ PANDESAL INTO YOUR COFFEEE !!!! #pandesal #coffeelover #weirdfoodcombos #breakfastrecipes #fyp ♬ original sound – Jan Benedick Julian
This classic breakfast and meryenda combo is the perfect way to kickstart any rainy day — kind of the Pinoy version of “Netflix and Chill” only for breakfast. You’re on a caffeine-free diet? You can always substitute hot chocolate to get that pandesal ready for dipping.
Tip: Take this combo up one notch by trying the becoming-famous ube pandesal.
Lugaw or Arroz Caldo (to some)
A rice porridge so comforting that even babies love it. Made with glutinous rice cooked with salt, water and ginger, you can cook this Filipino rainy day food for just 1-2 hours maximum.
Tip: Aside from eggs, you can also use any chunks of meat from your fridge as toppings — fried or pan-grilled.
Monggo (Filipino mung bean stew)
Rain or shine, this Filipino staple has been around as a comfort food. Although the classic version has malunggay leaves on it, spinach can be an excellent replacement if you’re living abroad.
Tip: While it’s best cooked with pork, it’s best-paired with fried fish or even lumpia.
Sinigang
Its sour and flavorful soup will give you that warmth you need on a gloomy day. Whether you opt for pork, shrimp, beef or fish sinigang, the tangy flavor from tamarind, guava or miso is a surefire way to brighten up even the darkest of days.
Tip: If it’s time-consuming to squeeze tamarind, we’re pretty sure sinigang mix of any variant is readily available at the nearest Seafood City or Island Pacific market near you.
You may also like: 11 traditional Filipino cooking techniques that aren’t adobo and sinigang
Tinola
This savory broth with its tender chicken and green papaya basically answers the question “What should I eat on a rainy day?” To spice it up more, a sawsawan of patis (fish sauce) and calamansi and a dash of chili is the perfect way to eat this Filipino dish.
Tip: Boil it with stalks of lemon grass for more savory flavor.
Champorado
Sweet tooth or not, this chocolatey porridge is a bowl of bliss during rainy season. Champorado topped with condensed milk? Pretty please. Enjoy this as breakfast or meryenda on those rainy afternoons or midnight snacks at home — we suggest it’s served hot.
Tip: Leftover or newly sent tuyo from your PH packages is this porridge’s best friend.
Bulalo
A classic and comforting beef soup not just on rainy days but for the whole year round. This rich and hearty soup along with its beef shank, cabbages, corn and potatoes promises to be a cure — for weather-related sickness or a hangover.
Tip: No need to go to the Philippines to get a taste of this Filipino rainy day food, Filipino restaurants around the US offer this Pinoy classic.
Chicken sopas
Moms and grandmas are the masters in whipping up this creamy chicken sopas. This soup with chicken, celery carrots and milk serves comfort one heaping bowl at a time.
Tip: There are variations of cooking sopas — you can add corned beef or potatoes.
Beef mami
While this food of Filipino-Chinese origin comes in perfect timing as the Lunar New Year approaches, it’s also a must-eat food when the skies turn gray. Perfect for rainy days, it’s a flavorful combination of beef brisket, green onions, cabbage and hard-boiled eggs.
Tip: If you can’t get out to buy fresh noodles, any instant noodles in your pantry would do. Just add meat and vegetables.
So whether you’re team lugaw or champorado, these comfort foods are guaranteed to make any bad weather bearable if not downright fun. Cuddle up, chill and enjoy these Filipino rainy day eats.
