It tasted a lot better than it looked. :) The idea was hatched after thinking about a paella in the context of our lechon menu. So off to the kitchen to experiment… In a small cast iron pan, I fried up some homemade chorizo with a touch of pure lard. Once it was cooked through and slightly caramelized, I removed the chorizo and left the lard and bits in the cast iron pan. In a separate pan, I heated up some lechon dinuguan (all lechon meat, no innards), added a touch of coconut cream, two chopped siling labuyo (bird’s eye chilies) and brought this to a simmer. I added several cups of steaming white rice, and salt to taste (it needs quite a bit of salt, as the rice deadens the seasoning) and mix until everthing is a uniform color. Add the excess chorizo fat from the cast iron pot, a bit of chili oil if you like it, and stir to combine.
Put the cast iron pan back on a medium high flame to heat it up, transfer the dinuguan rice to the cast iron pan and listen to it sizzle a bit to create a bit of a burned crust or tutong. Turn off the heat, sprinkle generous amounts of cut up chorizo on top, and sprinkle with good coconut vinegar. Serve immediately. Believe me when I say this could have been a terrible flop. But the first spoonful, followed by another, a slight adjustment in vinegar and salt, and it brought a smile to my face. Ten other folks tasted it and nearly all said they would order it. We have to tweak it just a bit to intensify the taste and maybe a bit of color in the garnish. Or maybe we try it with some shrimp instead of of chorizo, or both chorizo and shrimp. I know, we shouldn’t even think to call it a paella, so maybe a Dinuguan Rice might suffice. Hmmm… so what do you think? Something you would try or does it gross you out? :) Lee, if you are out there, I KNOW you would LOVE this. :)
38 Responses
Are the orange things on top the home made chorizo? I’m sure that even if it’s paler than the commercially available red ones it’s still packed with the same flavors minus the MSG and other bad stuff. Hmm, I don’t eat dinuguan and though this version is less gross, I still wouldn’t be tempted to try it. But for folks who do I think that this would be appetizing.
Maybe saute uncooked rice with chorizo/ lard, then add dinuguan plus a little lechon broth to simmer until rice cooks. Then it would really be paella instead of lechon dinuguan rice.
I’m on a diet and the thought of this is making me really hungry… Hope it’s on the menu for when I go to Cebu for Sinulog :)
How about adding some chopped chicharon for the resulting Crispy Dinuguan Rice??? YUMMMMMMM!
I want more cubes of fat :) I also want more toppings side from the chorizo. Thinking of crisped up lechon and crumbled chicharon. MarketMan, Moni and ChrisB are witnesses to my unforgiving assault and consumption of the fatty piece of slow-cooked adobo at Zubuchon.
My most recent lab test last month show very nice cholesterol (Total, HDL, LDL, triglyceride) levels. All within range… But of course my Uric acid soared and my blood sugar is a testament of my being from Negros Occidental.
Lydia P, seconds after taking the photos above, we added chopped chicharon to the dish, and it was a nice addition, but could be a bit OTT. Mimi, the blood would coagulate if it cooked for 20 more minutes for a more real paella, I think. ami, yes, we make our own chorizo — less blobs of fat, no artificial flavorings or color, no preservatives… just paprika and a touch of achuete oil for color, sea salt, vinegar, garlic and spices. Natural casings as well.
i know i would, too!
inggit na talaga ako , gusto ko na magfood trip din
I think that preparation is the only way in the world to make diniguan look remotely appetizing.
Riiiiceee Mmmoo-monsssster trying to break free. :))
Absolutely brilliant!! We should coin a new word for the dinuguan flavored socarrat. Hmm, “socarrat de sangre”?
Next stop Lechon Paksiw Rice!! :D
That looks delicious, MM. Chorizo and shrimp! but in smaller pieces.
Lee, and what else after that? Chicharon pa! How can your cholesterol levels be normal?!? :)
Sorry but I find this rather gross. But I’m not really a fan of dinuguan to begin with. I adore lechon and other native foods you’ve featured and sometimes tweaked, but with dinuguan I’ll pass.
Jade186, I completely understand where you are coming from, as I didn’t eat dinuguan for many decades… :)
I wonder what goes into the kamias shake? Does it have milk? I’m going to try and see if I can get frozen kamias from our suki Pinoy store here and try to recreate the kamias shake. Kakainggit eh.
I would order this! With a kamias shake on the side to help cut through the umay.
Does the longganisa topping have crispy bits? Or what about a sprinkling of crispy lechon flakes? I can imagine how the texture would add a dimension to the rice. Yum! :)
“It tasted a lot better than it looked.” <- You crack me up MM! :D
Though I believe this tasted great. I still love my dinuguan topping warm perfectly cooked rice. Heavenly! :D I imagine the "tutong" added the extra texture to make it more paella than mixed dinuguan rice?
Coming to Cebu this January, hope I and my soon-to-be wife finally meet you and sample your (in)famous lechon dinuguan ;)
Joseph…I asked the same question few months ago from MM about the iba shake. Frozen kamias doesn’t cut it esp. the color. MM gave me an alternative fruit to try but it is not in season yet. At least, I haven’t found them in stores. Go on Fraser St. and a few stores from Aling Ening…a Pinoy grocery store (can’t remember the name). She brings in fresh Pinoy mangoes and one time, fresh UBOD! So, if you ask her, maybe she can get fresh kamias though I am assuming it will not be cheap!
Joseph and bettyq, fresh kamias is essential, though frozen kamias has that mellowed taste that also adds a dimension to the drink. We don’t use milk or any fillers. Just sugar to taste… All natural, simple… always seems to yield the best results. Even our mango shakes are just fresh guadalupe mangos and a touch of sugar syrup if necessary. We don’t use commercial mango chunks that are pre-frozen. :)
mama mia! i can imagine the taste :) lime wedges on top perhaps?
Looks so delish! My mouth is salivating while looking at the photo. I will definitely try to cook this. Just not sure if my Aussie hubby and son will like it.
Kinda reminds me of “arroz y morcillas” of Dulcinea. Sayang wala nang ibang pics of the other cooking stages.
nyahaha, malapit na kaming dumating sa cebu so a inner at one of the zubuchons is in the itinerary………..
My cousin and I would totally go for “Chocolate soup” with rice. =)
I would vote for bits of lechon skin and/or lechon flakes. And slices of green mango or thin slivers of kamias on top… to combat umay.
I hope it will be available soon at Zubuchon
oops. I absolutely adore dinuguan or dugo dugo as we call it in Cebu. But sorry, not in this manner. I want it hot but separate from the rice. No, never like this. Huge turn off, sorry :-(
This does not not gross me out at all as I love to add rice to the saute pan/pot right after my Mom has transferred the dinuguan to a bowl. That way I get every morsel of the left over dinuguan sauce and it is enough to satisfy me. Maybe leave some minced dinuguan meat to the mix and some bits of crushed chicharon to add some color.
This is a fantastic idea for a paella, I must’ve tried all the paellas at the Salcedo Weekend Market but none of them have thought to come up with more adventurous paellas. Not a fan of chorizo but I’m willing to give it a try. Love that you have itlog na maalat and kamatis in the background!
Oh wow! I don’t eat a lot of dinuguan but I can see how this can be a good idea. I think that the dinuguan’s slightly metallic taste and sourness works well with rice and when combined with lard and chorizo..YUM!
it just needs a few slivers of the green finger chilis used in dinuguan. now i’m hungry again..
I love dinuguan and I rarely satisfy my cravings. My mah can’t do the dinuguan right and there are no decent Filipino Restaurants here in Sydney. You see I was born and bred in the Philippines up to the age of 8, so I remember my favourite foods and I had loved Dinuguan and dig into it with gusto, I don’t care who’s watching and even if they’re grossed out hehehe! I don’t care what it is made up of it’s freakin heaven that’s for sure..
Force it into a casing and you have blood sausage.
Hi MM, i’m new to this site but i’m hooked to it already, i enjoyed reading all your post and the recipes that you and your readers posted, Just curious do you have a any recipe on how to make those steamed rice with pork and shrimp Ding How Dim Sum style. Thank You.
I’ve been toying with the idea of a dinuguan paella for some time now, but you beat me to it! Actually, I thought of doing it with free-range chicken, blood and all. How’s that for lean? (Hah!)
Am excited to taste this at your resto… hope it will be available soon! ;p Maybe you can crisp up the chorizo a bit so that it will be a contrast in texture to the dinuguan rice? I wouldn’t mind ordering this and a pack of your chicharon and devouring them together with your kamias shake…
I love the Zubuchon Dinuguan (and have handcarried tubs back to Manila) with the gata providing an additional depth on the flavor… I would most certainly order this in my next trip to Cebu, but maybe some shrimps on top instead of the crushed chicharon for all cholesterol watchers out there =)
Love this idea Market Man! But now matter how yummy it is, dinuguan isn’t so photogenic…sadly not even as paella. going home to cebu for the holidays can’t wait to get to your new zubuchon resto. If that paella is there, it is something i must try.
I like the salted egg and tomato combo on the backdrop :) but I will have to pass on the dinuguan though.. How about squid ink paella? :)
It sort of sounds like a wonderfule cross between squid in black rice and paella, wonder why I never thought of that before . . . hmm . . .