As the seasons change and the temperatures begin to drop, we may find ourselves reaching for more plentiful, rich foods. From comforting steaming soups to indulgent Kapeng Barako. What better way to fight off the cold-weather blues than with a hearty lineup of Filipino comfort food classics? Here’s a list of popular Filipino food to fend off the chill.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #1: Chicken Sopas

Chicken Sopas never fails to make us feel better whenever we’re sick or feel cold on rainy days. It is a popular Chicken Soup Recipe in the Philippines. It is made with Elbow Macaroni, Chicken, Milk and Butter, a very delicious and easy to prepare at home and most loved by kids and kids-at-heart any time of the day. It is a versatile recipe because it can be served also as a side dish for Fried Fish on any occasion in any season.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #2: Bulalo

Bulalo is one of the foundational recipes in Filipino cuisine. It’s a beef soup usually associated with rainy days and comfort food, but you can definitely have this dish any time you wish. Its rich broth is made by boiling bone-in beef shanks and sometimes including the bone marrow with vegetables, corn, and onions swimming in a light beef broth. It’s meaty, loaded with proteins and greens, and comforting all the same. 

Rainy Day Filipino Food #3: Arroz Caldo

A hearty Filipino congee made with chicken and rice and seasoned with onion, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce and topped with with crunchy fried garlic. This is great anytime of the day- as a snack; as a hot meal to conclude a night of heavy drinking so as to sober up; or as a cure for a hangover the following day. Also works as a soothing cure when suffering from a fever coupled with a sore throat. 

Rainy Day Filipino Food #4: Chicken Mami

Chicken Mami is simply the Filipino version of the world-famous Chicken Noodle Soup served in a rich chicken broth with egg noodles, chicken and trimmings like hard boiled egg, vegetable, green onion and toasted garlic. The key to a delicious chicken mami is the broth. Homemade broth made by boiling chicken bones render the best, flavorsome and luscious chicken stock.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #5: Ensaymada and Tsokolate

Ensaymada is a soft brioche-like bread topped with grated cheese and sugar. It is popular pastry in the Philippines, commonly served during merienda. Served with a steaming cup of hot tsokolate is a classic combination.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #6: Batangas Lomi

Lomi is a dish of thick egg noodles, rich broth, and a generous amount of meat, innards, and pork cracklings. Usually topped with pork or chicken, I’ve also tried one with smoked bangus (milkfish). It is said to have originated in Southern Luzon particularly, in Batangas, freshly cooked Lomi is ladled over a shallow plate to cool its gravy but eaten fast before it gets cold.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #7: Champorado

A Filipino chocolate rice porridge made from cocoa and glutinous rice served with evaporated milk partnered with salted dried fish called tuyo. It is traditionally served during breakfast or prepared during rainy days to bring comfort and warmth.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #8: Sinigang

Sinigang is a Filipino meaty soup that is known for being sour and savory, and sometimes spicy. This dish is prepared with tamarind then with meats like pork, beef, chicken, fish and prawns, added with different vegetables like kangkong, taro, radish, string beans, okra, green chillies, tomatoes and eggplant. sinigang is among the most popular and most-cooked Filipino dishes.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #9: Suman and Kapeng Barako

Kapeng Barako is a coffee varietal grown in Batangas, Philippines. It takes its name from the Tagalog word for a male stud bull or wild boar, which are recognized as symbols of power and strength. It delivers a strong kick, an inherently bitter taste and pungent aroma in every sip from your coffee cup (and a lingering aftertaste). It is said to have a high caffeine level. While Suman is a rice cake made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk drizzled with coconut caramel sauce, often wrapped in banana leaves. This food selection is a perfect match for Kapeng Barako because of its contradicting taste, a sweet dessert plus a relaxing aroma, and strong taste from coffee.

Rainy Day Filipino Food #10: La Paz Batchoy

La Paz Batchoy is a filling dish made with miki (egg noodles), pork, liver, pork intestines, chicharon (fried pork rinds), garlic, and chives, all sitting on top of the hot broth of pork. Batchoy is believed to have originated in the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in the Philippines, hence the name La Paz Batchoy.

Think I missed something? What are your favorite Filipino (or non-Filipino) cold-weather food? Let me know by commenting below!