The Colombian Milk And Egg Soup That You'll Either Hate Or Love

If you visit a cold mountain town in Colombia's Central Andean Range, you might be served an uncommonly white soup for breakfast. Sip it and you'll savor a mix of sweetness and saltiness that some people find delicious and others off-putting. I'm in the first group, and this soup, called changua, is one of my favorite breakfasts. But I understand why some people might be hesitant about slurping milk with eggs, cilantro, cheese, and hardened bread.

Changua is a traditional dish from the Colombian departments of Boyacá and Cundinamarca. The latter includes the country's capital, Bogota, where I'm originally from. Because mornings here can be cold, changua is a great way to start the day with a warm, protein-filled bowl of soup. As for the "strange" mix of ingredients, all I can say is that Colombians love creative culinary combinations. We do, after all, add cheese to our hot chocolate and top our hot dogs with chips and quail eggs.

That said, the soup is divisive even amongst Colombians. Make sure to try it if you're ever in the region, though. Changua is creamy and salty, and hits the spot when you want something comforting for breakfast. It's okay if you don't like it, but at least give your taste buds the chance to decide for themselves. And, who knows? Maybe you'll join my camp and end up craving milk soup to start the day.

While you probably can't fly to Colombia just to try a soup, changua is very easy to make at home. Recipes vary widely, but you always need water, milk, eggs, cilantro, semi-hardened cheese, hardened bread, and salt. Some people also add scallions and butter. Start by boiling about 3 cups of water, 3 cups of milk, and salt in a medium pot over high heat. If you want to add scallions and butter, put them into the pot as well. When the soup starts to boil, bring the heat down to medium-low and cook the eggs (two to four work perfectly) until the yolk is hardened. Then, turn off the heat and serve the soup in a bowl.

Once the soup is plated, garnish it with cilantro to give it some freshness, and drop the cubes of cheese into it. This is also the moment to add bread. You have a couple of choices for this step. My favorite ones are either almojábana or pan de bono, which are Colombian cheese breads. Otherwise, you can go for regular hardened bread, though it should be in chunks rather than slices. The idea is for the bread to soften and give the soup a bit of texture. Some people also like to serve Colombian arepas (which are very different from Venezuelan ones) on the side. In about 15 minutes, you get a hearty soup that is perfect for adventurous eaters willing to give unique foods a chance.