I’ve been eating champorado ever since I was a little girl. I grew up on “chocolate rice” and im almost convinced it helped with my beautiful dark skin. But then one day I was introduced to Quaker Oats oatmeal by a TV commercial and life was never the same.
The commercial told me that oatmeal, specifically oatmeal made by quakers, can lower my cholesterol. Which made me feel sorry for champorado because all it does is increase my chances for diabetes. But because I love champorado and the guy on the oatmeal box is so happy, I eat both. It’s a tie.
I tried making binignit, a bisaya dessert similar to ginataan because of the use of coconut milk and sweet chunky ingredients. Instead, I made Frankenstein.
I found coconut milk and camote at the “Asian” market, but that was it. Because I couldn’t find ube and the other 99.9 percent of the ingredients for binignit, I replaced them with bananas and rice. So basically I made coconut champorado with chunks of bananas and camote. And there you have it, my first white champorado. I think a better name for it is “whatever” binignit (basig unsa binignit in bisaya). It came out okay. Especially with the coconut milk and a pound of sugar. Listening to this song might help too.
Jufran is made with donated Filipino blood. It’s a bit sweeter than tomato ketchup with a hint of banana flavor and spice for a refreshing kick to the face. Banana sauce is great mixed with spaghetti or smothered on eggs, burgers, fries, or on your finger. I tried making my own bottle of Jufran by crushing a banana, adding hot sauce, black pepper, and olive oil. I will never do that again.
Tomato ketchup will always have a place in my heart, but banana ketchup is inside my heart. Buy a bottle today! Or tomorrow!
Learn how to bathe the Filipino way with this how-to video I found online. I only take a shower once a month but only because I take a bath every few hours with a tabo and bucket, especially when it’s hot. Nothing wakes you up like a gallon of cold water splashed over your head.
The photos above are of Christine Pechera, Greg Hachey and Paul Alexander. All 3 of them need bone marrow donors to fight their cancers but because the donor must be Filipino to be a match, they’re having a hard time finding one because there aren’t a lot of Filipinos on the donor list.
Whether your Filipino or not, you can register to get on this list. But if you ARE Filipino, you should register because of the low numbers of Filipinos registered. Plus, you might be the person who’ll save Christine, Greg, Paul or someone else in a Filipino family much like yours. To register just follow these steps:
1) Call 1-800-MARROW2
2) Say this special secret code: “Hi, i’d like to register. Where’s the closest clinic to me?”
3) Call the number of the clinic they refer you to and make an appointment.
4) Give a bit of blood and get a cookie. You’ll be registered in 6-8 weeks. Minorities register for free. Cookie not guaranteed. If you find a place that gives free suman, EMAIL ME IMMEDIATELY.
And while your at it, make an appointment to donate blood and register to be an organ donor. If you are a bone marrow match, all they do is get a bit of your marrow and your done, all expenses paid. Giving up just a bit of blood, marrow, or a kidney is worth saving the life of another person. Why do you think you have two kidneys in the first place? In case the other one goes flat?
Links:
Christine’s MySpace page
Greg Hachey’s site
Paul Alexander’s site
Find a clinic near you
I first found out about the need for Filipino bone marrow donors from visiting Sini-gang.com
