Arroz a la Cubana is a household staple in the Philippines. My grandmother used to make the traditional Filipino version on Friday nights. It was easy to prepare, filling and comforting—perfect to end a busy and long week. A spoonful of rice, beef, and egg while my grandfather told his tales was all the comfort my little 6-year-old heart ever needed. My version is inspired by Queens, New York, where I live now. I love how all the different cultures just meld together and I have taken umami influences from different people around me. This dish takes me back home, tweaked with who and where I am today. <br /> <br />Arroz a la Cubana is characterized with rice and ground beef in tomato sauce, plus a fried egg. This recipe does away with the rice and replaces it with plantains with burnt, umami-rich ends. The ground beef recipe starts off with "sangkutsa," a common base for Filipino dishes that give off an umami flavor—sautéed garlic, onions, tomatoes, and fish sauce. Sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms add another umami dimension. Hints of fresh habanero in the beef complement the toasty caramelized flavor of the plantains. It is best served plated individually with a slightly runny egg on top to marry all the flavors.

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