Bringhe Kapampangan
Christina Sunae
ApuNena, Argentina

This Bringhe Kapampangan recipe is for my cousin, Ate Ruby, who took care of me when I was a young girl. 

Ate means "older sister" and refers to older family members or friends. She is my mother's best friend and an excellent professional cook, specializing in Kapampangan cuisine. This dish, which could be considered the Philippine version of Spanish paella, is made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, chicken, and turmeric,  cooked and wrapped in banana leaves. The most delicious part is the crispy rice that sticks to the base. Bringhe, usually served on special occasions, is very easy to prepare.

Come and cook with me!

​- Chef Christina

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 100 g chopped onion
• 4 peeled and grated turmeric
• 3 whole chicken wings
• 2 chicken livers, minced
• 30 ml fish sauce
• 1 liter of coconut milk
• 500 ml of water or chicken broth
• 500 g of glutinous rice type 
• Oil, c / n
• Banana leaves, to cover a kawali or wok

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Procedure 

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a kawaii (wok) over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic, onion, and turmeric. 
2. Add chicken wings and livers and seal until golden brown on all sides. Season with the fish sauce and cook until the smell of the sauce is no longer present.
3. Add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. 
4. Add the previously rinsed rice. Lower the heat to low and mix continuously until the rice absorbs all the liquid, and the mixture thickens about 30 minutes.
5. In a separate kawali or wok, place three layers of banana leaves. Pour the cooked rice over the leaves and cover it with another two banana leaves. 
6. Cook over low heat for another hour, trying to form a crispy layer on the bottom. This step can be done in the oven;  in the Philippines, where the dish originated, there are usually no ovens in the houses. Bringhe is cooked over the stove.
7. Remove the top layer of leaves and serve the dish straight from the wok. It can also be removed from the wok and cut up like a pizza before serving.