Champorado (Chocolate Rice Porridge)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Give it a stir and lower heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Every few minutes, give it a stir. It may cook faster than 15 minutes; basically, you are looking for it to be thick, and the rice to be cooked through, not gritty in the middle. (I definitely check it at the 10 minute mark; lots of times it takes about 12 minutes.)
3. While the rice is cooking, whisk the 1/4 cup boiling water into the cocoa powder in a small bowl. When it’s cooled a bit, whisk in the vanilla.
4. Once the rice is cooked, whisk the cocoa mixture into the rice mixture. Cook, uncovered, over medium low for another 5 minutes until the cocoa has absorbed into the porridge.
5. Serve with sugar and milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, half-and-half, heavy cream, crème fraiche, or whatever dairy product you like best.