Changua is a Bogotá breakfast soup of milk, eggs, scallion, cilantro, and bread that tastes like a warm morning hug. It sits right in the space between savory and gentle, the same way café con leche sits between drink and dessert. It is so quiet and soft that people in Bogotá frequently eat it while still half asleep.
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 13 to 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 thick slices stale bread (traditional is calado, but Tuscan or baguette is fine)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Step 1
In a small pot, combine milk, water, scallions, and salt. Bring to a medium simmer (barely steaming, not vigorously boiling).
Step 2
Carefully crack in eggs, one at a time. Keep the heat gentle and poach for 4 to 5 minutes, until whites are set and yolks are still soft.
Step 3
Stir in cilantro, turn off the heat, taste, and salt to the correct “savory milk” level (this is critical).
Step 4
Put the bread in serving bowls. Ladle the hot changua over the bread and serve immediately.