El Fogón de Frakie

In Puerto Rico, «going out for Chinese food» means looking for that signature Arroz Chino Boricua. It’s the ultimate comfort food fusion—taking the technique of Asian fried rice and giving it a heavy island twist with plenty of ham, soy sauce, and often leftover Pernil. It’s savory and salty, best served with a side of tostones and honey chicken!

Ingredients:

 

• 4 Cups Cooked White Rice (Day-old and refrigerated is perfect).
• 1 cup Cooked Ham (cubed).
• 1 cup Roast Pork (Pernil) or Chicken (chopped).
• 6 to 10 slices of Bacon.
• ½ Pork Chop (Chuleta), chopped into small pieces.
• 1 lb Bean Sprouts (Note: You have «lechuga» [lettuce] in your list. In Arroz Chino, we usually use Brotes de Soja or Frijolitos Chinos. If you really meant lettuce, it will wilt, so bean sprouts are the better «crunchy» choice!)
• 1 Bell Pepper (green, red, or yellow).
• ½ lb Medium Shrimp (optional).
• 3 Large Eggs.
• ½ cup Frozen Peas and Carrots.
• 4 tbsp Soy Sauce.
• 3 Green Onions (Scallions), sliced.
• ½ tsp Garlic Powder or fresh minced garlic.

 

Methods:

 

• Prep the Rice: Use cold, day-old Arroz Blanco. Break up any clumps with your hands so the grains are separate.
• Scramble: In a large wok or caldero, heat a little oil. Scramble the eggs, remove them from the pan, chop them up, and set them aside.
• Sear the Meats: Add a bit more oil (and a drop of sesame oil). Sauté the ham, pork/chicken, and shrimp until the shrimp is pink and the meats are slightly browned.
• Veggies & Aromatics: Cut bell pepper into small pieces, in a pan, and stir the garlic, ginger, and the frozen peas and carrots. Cook for 2 minutes until the veggies soften.
• The Fry: Cut the bacon and fry it. Then, in a wok the cold rice to the pot. Pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice. Turn the heat to high and toss everything constantly for 3–5 minutes. The rice should turn a beautiful dark brown.
• Final Toss: Add the scrambled eggs and half of the green onions back into the pot. Toss for one more minute.
• Serve: Garnish with the remaining fresh green onions on top.
  • Pro Tip: The «Boricua» secret is using a lot of meat and making sure the rice is very cold before frying—this prevents it from getting mushy!