Arroz a la Cubana

Mymy Suajico – Santiago 蔡马安

Also known as Arroz Cubano ( Cuban Style Rice ), Arroz a la Cubana is a Spanish Dish consisting of rice, fried banana, fried egg & tomato sauce. This Dish found its way to Peru & the Philippines, as both used to be under Spanish colony. The Peruvian & the Philippine versions are very much similar to the Spanish way save for the addition of sausages on the former & ground beef with mixed vegetables & spices on the latter.

This is my Arroz Cubano recipe. I have replaced and added ingredients particularly with the ground beef to almost resemble a ragu to stay in touch with the essence of the Spanish way of serving the dish with sofrito.

Ingredients:
                        Steamed or boiled rice

1/2 kilo                lean ground beef (use sirloin)
2 stalks                 celery cubed
1 large                 potato, cubed
1 large                 bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp.                 Craisins (or raisins, craisins render subtle sweetness unlike the strong flavor of raisins)
2 tbsp.                 minced garlic
1 large                 onion, chopped
2                       tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c.                  tomato paste
                                                      olive oil (for ragu)
                        Canola oil (for frying plantains & eggs)
¼ cup                  Worcestershire sauce
                        salt and pepper to taste
                        eggs, fried sunny-side-up
                        Plantains cut vertically & fried

Clockwise R to L : Craisins, Onions, Celery, Plantains,Tomato,Bell Pepper Garlic

Procedure:
Heat Canola Oil in a nonstick pan. Drop in cubed potatoes and fry until light brown.
Remove & transfer in a paper towel lined dish to remove excess oil and set aside.
On the same pan, drizzle olive oil and drop in ground beef, cook until well done
Add the garlic, celery, onions, bell peppers and craisins.

Sautee & simmer until vegetables are cooked. Add the tomato & tomato paste, Worstershire, salt and pepper.
Blend the mixture as it simmers and drop back the potatoes.
Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Arrange the steamed rice, ground beef & plantains on a dish; top the rice with the fried egg.