Hot and filling: Soups to warm you up on cold, rainy days

If summer is synonymous with ice cream, then the rainy season is all about hot soups. There’s nothing more satisfying than slurping warm broth on a cold and rainy day—at least, for me. It’s just a nice pick-me-upper on a gloomy day. That’s what comfort food is all about, after all. Here are some of my favorites. What are yours?

Arroz caldo

I remember eating arroz caldo whenever I would get sick as a young child. My mom would feed me this hearty porridge made with rice and chicken because it had a light flavor and was easy to eat. It’s basically the Filipino version of the Chinese congee.

To give the dish more zing, I would top it with green onions and toasted garlic, and a dash of calamansi juice. It’s a filling and nourishing meal that is also readily available in small eateries and even street vendors.

Arroz caldo is best eaten at home where you can have some while in your pajamas, but should you wish to eat it in a nice restaurant, do try Simpleng Arroz Caldo at Simple Lang. Or head to Goto King or GoodAh! for the budget-friendly versions.

Ramen

Whether it’s just another food trend or not, ramen always hits the spot whenever I have a craving for noodle soup. If ever I would have a list of food favorites, this would definitely be at the top.

There’s something about this Japanese noodle dish that satisfies my cravings. It’s probably the rich broth—usually miso or soy sauce-based—and the combination of toppings that make it so addictive. I can’t get enough of the savory broth, chewy noodles, braised pork, soft-boiled egg, and other ingredients that complete this dish.

I’m looking forward to the day when Manila will have ramen bars similar to that in Japan, where you pick your order through a vending machine, wait for your turn to eat by the counter, and not be ashamed to dine by your lonesome. (Note: In Japan, it’s customary to slurp while eating ramen.)

Some of the best ones I’ve had were the Shiromaru Motoaji in Ippudo and the Black King at Ramen Nagi, but there are other ramen places I have yet to try.  

Sinigang

A staple in every household is sinigang, a savory dish with meat and veggies characterized by its sour soup that usually uses a tamarind base. The meat and souring agent varies from one recipe to the next, depending on your preference or taste.

Our helper would use gabi for pork sinigang, but would opt for sampalok or calamansi when doing fish sinigang. Other cooks would use guava, kamias or batwan, which is popular in the Visayas region. The constant ingredient is patis, which gives it a little oomph. One thing is for sure, sinigang is best eaten with steamed rice!

You may sample unique concoctions of this traditional dish at Filipino restaurants like Sentro 1771 for its Sinigang na Corned Beef, Simple Lang for its Sinigang na Crispy Bagnet sa Watermelon, and Kabila for its Seafood Guava Sinigang.

Batchoy

I’m grateful for the Ilonggos—particularly the ones from La Paz, Iloilo—for creating the ever-popular batchoy. This version of noodle soup is commonly made with round noodles, pork innards, chicken stock, and topped with chicharon.

I admit, I’m not a big fan of animal organs, but I don’t mind getting bits and pieces of pork liver or heart in this dish. Good thing the chicharon is there to more add flavor and crunch. It’s a really tasty dish, albeit somewhat calorific.

No need to travel to Iloilo to get a taste of the classic batchoy! You can get your food fix at Ted’s Oldtimer Lapaz Batchoy or Deco’s Original La Paz Batchoy.

There are countless of other noodle soup and rice porridge versions out there that you can indulge in during the rainy season. I would stick to my favorites, but feel free to taste test other hearty, hot meals that will brighten up your mood and day. Happy eating! — BM, GMA News