Bringhe is the perfect one-pot meal for all your special celebrations! Made with glutinous rice, chicken, chorizo de bilbao, vegetables, and coconut milk, this tasty, this Filipino-style Paella is sure to be a crowd favorite.
No Kapampangan party or celebration is complete without Bringhe on the menu. Growing up in Tarlac, I always looked forward to fiestas, birthdays or holidays because it meant a big kawa of this Filipino-style paella to enjoy.
Now that I am older and have learned to cook this dish myself, I wonder why it’s mostly reserved for special occasions when it’s so easy to make and uses relatively inexpensive ingredients. In fact, it’s the perfect dinner for busy weeknights as it cooks in one pan and is ready in an hour!
What is Bringhe
Bringhe, which is said to have originated from the northern province of Pampanga, is the Filipino’s indigenization of the Spanish paella. While the later is made of bomba or arborio rice flavored with saffron, our local version is glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and turmeric powder which give it its distinct flavor and color.
This rice dish can be as simple as just chicken and bell peppers added in or as elaborate as to include pork, prawns, chorizo de Bilbao, chicken liver and gizzard, ham, green peas, carrots, potatoes, and raisins. Garnishes such as quartered hard-boiled eggs and additional bell pepper strips are often used for presentation.
Tips on How to Make Filipino Paella
- I don’t wash the rice as I find it makes the bringhe too wet or mushy for my taste.
- When the liquid is mostly absorbed, cover the rice mixture with banana leaves and then cover tightly to add aroma and to seal in heat.
- The best part of the bringhe in my opionion is what’s called “socarrat” or dry crust on the bottom. After the rice is tender, transfer to a wide pan lined with banana leaves. Cover with banana leaves, and cook on medium heat until the bottom forms a crust.
Bringhe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 pieces (about 5 ounces) chorizo de bilbao, sliced into 1/2 inch thick
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 cups glutinous rice, unwashed
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into strips
- 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into strips
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
- red bell pepper strips
- green red bell pepper strips
- carrot florets
Additional Equipment
- banana leaves wilted
Instructions
- In a wide, thick-bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chorizo de bilbao and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 to 5 minutes or until color changes and lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the pan, heat another tablespoon of oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add rice and cook, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes transparent.
- Add fish sauce and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Add the coconut milk, broth or water, chicken, chorizo de bilbao, bell peppers, green peas, and raisins.
- Add turmeric powder and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cover the rice mixture with banana leaves, cover the pan with lid, and continue to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is fully cooked and liquid is absorbed.
- If you like to toast the bottom, transfer the rice to a wide pan lined with banana leaves, cover with banana leaves, and cook on medium heat until it forms "socarrat" (crust). Flip the rice so the toasted bottom goes to the top and continue to cook to again form a crust.
- To serve, garnish with red and green bell peppers, hardboiled eggs, and carrot florets.
Nutrition
I always use this as filling for my turkey at Thanksgiving here in the US because American stuffing is not too palatable to our Filipino palate. The coconut milk makes the turkey meat even tastier and the biringhe is a big hit as a side dish.
What a great idea, Eleanor. I am definitely going to try that next year! Sounds incredibly delicious.
Hi! Ok lng po bang hindi na banlawan ang bigas pag gagawa ng mga rice dishes tulad nito and other kinds of paella?
Ma’am, pwede po ba na walang coconut milk sa recipe para di panis agad? At haluan ng jasmine rice?
Hello Roselle
Yes pwede naman alisin ang coconut milk kung ayaw but yun kasi ang nagbibigay linamnam sa bringhe. Pag refrigerated naman it will last 2 to 3 days.
Gaano ba gatagal bago mapanis ang bringhe at pwede ba itong pambaon sa beach?
Hello Florencia
Mga 2 to 3 days sa refrigerator. Yung pagdala sa beach, depende sa climate. Kung masyadong mainit ang panahon, I won’t recommend it as bringhe has coconut milk at madaling mapanis.
This is indeed very easy to make. I am excited to make this. Thanks!