How to make Juday’s Arroz à la Cubana

Judy Ann Santos Agoncillo (second from left) with son Lucho, daughter Luna, husband Ryan, and daughter Yohan. —@OFFICIALJUDAY/INSTAGRAM

Chef Judy Ann “Juday” Santos Agoncillo shared with Lifestyle some tips to ensure that children who are always on the go still get to eat meals that are hearty and healthy.

“Making them a ham and cheese sandwich is just a quick fix. No matter how much we want them to eat something home-cooked, we don’t really know what their activities will be during the day. We’re not sure if they would even have a chance to really sit down and eat their baon,” said Agoncillo.

“Another dilemma for me is that, although there’s a canteen in their school, my son Lucho still likes his baon home-cooked,” said the accomplished actress, who also has two daughters, Yohan and Luna, with husband, actor/TV host Ryan Agoncillo.

For this mom, the best dish for this predicament is Arroz à la Cubana, with its savory minced meat as the primary element. It is served with steamed rice, fried saba bananas, and fried eggs.

The ground meat hash is very versatile. You can eat it with bread or use it as a rice topping, she said. You can just pour some broth into it and transform it into picadillo. You can even make burritos out of it or include it in your omelette.

“Mas madali siyang baliin,” said Agoncillo, explaining that she would often cook a huge batch and transform it into different dishes along the way. Another tip from Chef Juday is how to properly store the ground meat hash to preserve it: Make sure to put it in small containers. This way, you don’t have to thaw everything when you’ll only need a small portion of it, she explained.

“Keep them frozen. Home-cooked dishes can last up to three to four weeks in the freezer, as long as you don’t keep taking them out to thaw them. Just make sure to put labels so you are reminded which ones you need to finish first.

“Also, you will feel less panicky when thinking of what to serve guests who arrive unannounced, or when your kids come home late at night feeling hungry. Just check your freezer!” said the owner of Angrydobo, which has branches in Taft and Westgate Center in Alabang.