Arroz Frito Cubano
La Comida Rápida de Abuela: Weeknight Lifesavers
Cold chunks of leftover Sunday lechón hit smoking oil, followed by day-old long-grain rice, a cup of frozen peas, and a heavy splash of salsa china until the skillet hisses. Long before Asian-Latino fusion became a food truck cliché, El Barrio Chino in nineteenth-century Havana married wok techniques with island aromatics. For the smell of cold rice hitting hot pork fat, keep the burner high and don't walk away.
Before you start
Cook the rice completely unseasoned.
Soy sauce and cured meats bring massive amounts of sodium to this dish. Because of this, it is absolutely essential to cook your base white rice with no salt and no oil the day before, letting it chill overnight in the fridge so the grains dry out.
Ingredients
- long-grain white rice4 cup
- leftover Cuban roast pork1 cup
- smoked ham1 cup
- small raw shrimp1/2 lb
- bacon strips3
- yellow onion1 med
- green or red bell pepper1/2 large
- garlic cloves4
- frozen peas and carrots mix1 cup
- fresh bean sprouts1 cup
- scallions1/2 cup
- eggs4 large
- soy sauce3 tbsp
- dark soy sauce1 tbsp
- chicken broth2 tbsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Make the egg ribbons.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with 1 tablespoon of the chicken broth and a few drops of soy sauce. Heat a massive skillet or wok over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of oil, and pour the egg mixture to form a thin crepe. Let it cook undisturbed until set, flip it briefly, then remove to a cutting board. Roll it up gently, slice into thin strips, and set aside.
- 02
Render the fats and sear the proteins.
Turn the heat to medium-high. Fry the chopped bacon until crispy and the fat has rendered, then remove the bits with a slotted spoon. In the bacon fat, quickly sear the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes until pink and remove them. Finally, fry the diced ham and pork for 2 minutes until caramelized, and remove them to the same plate.
- 03
Build the Cuban-Chinese sofrito.
If the pan is dry, add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Toss in the diced onions, bell peppers, and the white parts of the scallions, sautéing for 3 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cumin, cooking for 30 seconds until deeply fragrant.
- 04
Fry the cold rice.
Crank the heat to high. Add the cold, day-old rice, breaking up any clumps. Toss vigorously with the aromatics for 3 to 4 minutes until the rice is incredibly hot and slightly toasted.
- 05
Bring the dish together.
Pour the regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of chicken broth evenly over the rice, stirring constantly until uniformly golden-brown. Add the thawed peas and carrots, all the cooked meats, and the fresh bean sprouts, tossing for 2 minutes to heat through.
- 06
Fold in the ribbons and serve.
Remove the pan from the heat. Gently fold in the sliced egg ribbons and the green parts of the scallions. Let it sit off the heat for 2 minutes so the flavors can meld, then serve immediately.
Notes
The ultimate pantry protein.
If you don't have leftover lechón, a thick-cut pork chop seared and diced works perfectly. For families looking for the ultimate hit of mid-century nostalgia, substituting diced SPAM for the pork or ham honors a distinct and authentic era of Cuban home cooking.
From Cook Cuban in America.