Day 06: Fried Chicken n' Meal - Cuban Way

I promised to attempt in cooking a typical Cuban meal just like the chicken and beans the bf & I ate in Mayares, Cuba ontop of a mountain view and water falls. After hiking up a 20km mountainous, slippery and sometimes narrow forest the bf & I were lucky enough to eat a 'home cooked' cuban meal. We ate fried chicken with a tomato salsa to go with, boiled bananas, white rice, stewed beans, avocado & fresh guava fruit. The food was amazing.

My try at it wasn't bad at all. I boiled plaintains instead of regular bananas and sadly didn't have guava but I was very pleased with the outcome.



Cuban Fried Chicken 'n beans with boiled Plantains

FRIED CHICKEN
6 chicken legs attached to thighs sea salt & black pepper onion powder garlicpowder

STEWED BLACK BEANS
1 can black beans with liquid
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
sea salt & pepper
water

TOMATO SALSA SAUCE
1 can (540ml) crushed tomato
2 garlic cloves, whole
1/2 onion, whole
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs each garlic powder and onion powder

2 plaintains, cut in 3
2 avocado, sliced

1. Season Chicken with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder & onion powder. Set aside.
2. Add oil to pan (about 1/2" of the pan) and heat. Fry seasoned chicken about 6-7 minutes each side (internal temperature should be 74C). Place fried chicken on serving plate. Let rest before serving.
3. In pot, heat olive oil. Add green peppers and garlic frying until soft. Season with sea salt & pepper.
4. Add beans with liquid, water (enough to cover just a little over the beans) and all the dry ingredients. Stir and cook on high heat, covered until boiling.
5. After boiling, uncover beans and stir. Let simmer on medium heat for about 30-40 minutes or until beans are soft. Keep covered until serving.
6. In another pot, add all the ingredients to make the tomato salsa. Stir and let simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occassionally. Set aside until serving.
7. In a separate pot, boil plaintains in water until soft.
8. Slice avocados when ready to eat.
9. Serve together.

TIP: The longer the tomato salsa and beans are simmering, the better tasting and most flavourful. Cook salsa and beans first. Keep both pots on low heat while frying the chicken.

CIAO!