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Arroz a la cubana
Arroz a la cubana: white rice with tomato sauce, fried eggs and sweet plantain
Havana cafeterías put this plate on the lunch board when cooks want something cheap, fast and filling: a mound of plain white rice, a ladle of garlicky tomato sauce, a fried egg with a runny yolk and slices of caramelised ripe plantain. Breaking the yolk into the rice and sauce is the whole point, so the eggs should be fried at the last minute. The usual mistake is using plantains that are still yellow-green; they need black-spotted skins to turn soft and sweet in the pan. Serve with a simple avocado salad. Chef's tip: baste the egg whites with hot oil from the pan so they set with lacy edges while the yolks stay liquid.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice
- 10 ½ oz long-grain white ricerinsed until the water runs clear
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 tsp saltdivided
For the tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 14 oz tomato passata
- ½ tsp ground cumin
To finish
- 2 ripe plantainsskins mostly black, peeled and sliced on the diagonal 1 cm thick
- 4 tbsp vegetable oilfor frying
- 4 eggs
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 10 ½ oz long-grain white rice, 2 ½ cups water and half the ½ tsp salt in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 18 minutes, until the water is absorbed and little steam holes dot the surface. Rest it covered off the heat.
20 minStep 2: While the rice cooks, warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion for 5 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves for 1 minute, then 14 oz tomato passata, ½ tsp ground cumin and the rest of ½ tsp salt. Simmer for 10 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon.
16 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 2 ripe plantains for 2–3 minutes a side, until deep golden and soft right through when pressed. Drain on kitchen paper and keep the oil in the pan.
6 minStep 4: Crack 4 eggs into the hot oil and fry for 2–3 minutes, spooning oil over the whites until they are set and crisp at the edges and the yolks are still runny.
3 minStep 5: Pack the rice into a cup and turn out a dome on each plate. Spoon the tomato sauce over, lay an egg on top and arrange the plantain alongside. Eat at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 88 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arroz a la cubana take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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