SEAFOOD PAELLA

 

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This Recipe Serves 2-4

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Seafood Paella also known as paella de mariscos is a Spanish rice dish which consists of seafood &/or chicken & chorizo or sausages.

This recipe not only catches the eye but it is absolutely delicious. There are so many great flavours in this dish. Once you prepare it, the family will think that it was prepared at a restaurant because that’s how good it is.

Seafood Paella Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups rice
• water as required
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 400 ml chicken stock
• 100 grams prawns (de-veined with shell on)
• 500 grams seafood mix
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tomato
• 5 links of sausages or chorizo
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• ½ tablespoon red chilli flakes
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• fresh coriander (dhania) or parsley for garnishing

Method:

1. Firstly, prepare the rice. Add the rice to a bowl.
2. 
3. Rinse the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Allow the rice to soak for 10 minutes.
4. 
5. Discard the water that the rice had been soaking in. Empty the rice into a big pot & cover with water. Add in the turmeric, salt & 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Bring to a boil.
6. 
7. Cook until rice is soft & thereafter strain in a colander. Set aside.
8. 
9. Make sure the prawns are either defrosted or fresh. You can choose whether you want the shells off or on. They should be de-veined as well.
10. 
11. The same goes for the seafood mix. You can either get them fresh or simply used the frozen pack. Rinse & make sure they are defrosted. My seafood mix contained squid, mussels, monk fish, crab sticks & shrimp.
12. 
13. Peel & dice the garlic cloves. Set aside.
14. 
15. Rinse, dice & set aside the tomato.
16. 
17. Peel, chop & set aside the onion.
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19. Rinse & dice the green bell pepper. Set aside.
20. 
21. Next, whilst the sausages or chorizos are uncooked, slice them up. This will ensure that they cook quicker.
22. 
23. Next, heat a paella pan or a large pan. I used an electric pan. Add in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add in the prawns & cook for about 7-8 minutes.
24. 
25. Once the prawns are cooked, place into a bowl & season with salt & 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
26. 
27. Thereafter, in the same heated oil that the prawns had fried in, drop in the chopped onions.
28. 
29. Add in the sausages/chorizos.
30. 
31. Mix well & allow the sausages & onions to cook.
32. 
33. Once the onions & sausages are browned a bit, add in the spices – garlic powder, paprika & red chilli flakes. Simmer for 30 seconds.
34. 
35. Thereafter, add in the garlic, green bell pepper & the tomato.
36. 
37. Mix well,
38. 
39. For the next step you can either prepare your own homemade chicken stock/broth or use the store bought ones. For this recipe I opted to using Knorr’s Stock Pot cube by simply mixing it with boiled water.
40. 
41. 
42. Add in ½ of the chicken stock (200ml) & stir. Allow the tomatoes to cook until melted.
43. 
44. When the tomatoes have melted, add in the seafood mix.
45. 
46. Give it a quirk stir.
47. 
48. Add in the remaining chicken stock (200ml).
49. 
50. Mix, cover with a lid & cook for 10-12 minutes. The chicken stock should have evaporated just a bit as well. Add salt to taste.
51. 
52. Thereafter, add in the cooked rice.
53. 
54. Mix until well combined.
55. 
56. Turn off the heat. Place the cooked & seasoned prawns over.
57. 
58. Garnish with finely chopped coriander (dhania) or parsley.
59. 
60. Slice the lemon into wedges & place over.
61. 
62. 
63. Your Seafood Paella is ready to be enjoyed.
64. 
65. Best served hot.
66. 
67. Don’t forget that when you’re serving, to squeeze a lemon wedge over. The lemon completes this Spanish dish.
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