SEAFOOD PAELLA

What is Paella? (Valencian pronunciation: ( Paejya); Spanish: (Pa-eya) is a Valencian rice dish that has ancient roots but its modern form originated in the mid-19th century in the area around Albufera lagoon on the east coast of Spain adjacent to the city of Valencia.

Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish. Valencians, in turn, regard paella as one of their identifying symbols.
Just like many dishes from various countries, Paella too is has a lot of variations within Spain itself, however Valencia Paella is considered to be the original recipe and it consists of white rice (which must be round grain), green beans , meat(chicken and rabbit), sometimes duck), a variety of Lima beans or butter beans, sometimes snails, and seasoning such as saffron and rosemary

Other types of paella include , vegetable paella , seafood paella , and mixed paella . Another very common but seasonal ingredient is artichokes. Seafood paella replaces meat with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables , but I like mine with veggies as well . 

Mixed paella is a free-style combination of meat(Chicken, duck or rabbit)   , seafood, vegetables, mostly beans or peas.  Mixed Paella is what I was accustomed to for many years until I started preparing it myself at home.

Most paella chefs use bomba rice due to it being less likely to overcook, but Valencians tend to use a slightly stickier (and thus more susceptible to overcooking) variety known as Senia, however any type of short grain rice would work as well. All types of paellas use olive oil.

There are still a lot more variations of Paella prepared all over the world and of course I have my version too. What I understand about the Paella is, the most important part is the rice with its very simple yet with prominent flavors and the rest of the ingredients can easily be substituted.
Paella pan also to be put into consideration because the rice is supposed to be cooked in single layer to be able to get that perfect "SOCARRAT" (toasted rice at the bottom of the pan) although many chefs recommend a wide shallow pan as an alternative just like the one I used2 1/2 cups short grain rice.

So for my 17th wedding anniversary this year, I planned to make Paella simply because I had already picked my dessert before I set the main menu. The dessert was this pistachio cake that I was dying to try ( I need to make it again with few changes) The theme was kinda Mediterranean style in my own way it actually blended well than I thought.

We started with lentil soup and stuffed eggplants with hummus and pita bread as well as garlic pita chips...and some green salad with feta cheese.

Paella was great with lots of flavors but the protein was not so filling, in future I hope to remember and have another protein side dish to compliment the dinner.

I have always loved Paella and I have cooked it several times but I have been very skeptical on sharing the recipe...NO! I am not selfish.. The ingredients have always been a challenge for me and I cannot imagine some of my viewers not having access to main ingredients like saffron and the right rice which at this point it doesn't really matter! As much as I love authenticity , sometimes we just have to enjoy the recipes with what we have.

My search for fresh seafood and short grain rice was really stressful , I never thought that there was such a scarcity of short grain rice such or may be there is not market at all  since long grain rice is a favorable rice in many recipes, honestly I was confused and tired . I did manage to find short grain rice in one of the Asian stores but , it was in a 10lb packaging !
I checked online many stores like Target and HB seem to have them but I did not have such time. There is a type of rice that I came across at Fiesta (Hispanic supermarket) its the PAELLA rice already with saffron but I did not want to confuse my viewers by using such rice and besides not everyone would be able to find it. I did not want to use Arbor rice used for Risotto simply because its not something that is found in your typical grocery store, I get mine from whole foods...I settled for medium grain rice

The sea food was already pre-cooked except for calamari which was fine but I missed to show how to make the broth out of clams! I still have some clams lets see if I can manage some clam chowder !  

Now lets get on with this wonderful the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

4 cups broth of your choice
3-4 Tbl olive oil
1 Medium size chopped onion
4 Medium size crushed or grated tomatoes
1/4 tsp saffron (20-25 strands)
1 Tsp Spanish paprika
8 -10 Mussels
8-10 Clams
1 large calamari
10-12 large.jumbo shrimps
Salt to taste
Vegetables ( optional)

Get the broth ready, I used to shrimp cubes just because

I had them!  or use clam juice , make homemade shrimp

broth or fish broth , you can even use the juice of mussels

after you boil them. Just use enough water to boil the 

mussels or clams with about 3 cloves of garlic , celery, 

onions and carrots. and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes

Lets smoke the saffron , place 25-30 strands of saffron at the center of a piece of rectangle aluminium foil paper and fold in the  2 sides, place on the heated pan for 2-3 minutes.

Make sure the heat is on medium so the Saffron does not get burnt. You can use pastel to crush the saffron into a fine powder by just rolling it over.

Get the pan ready on medium heat on add about 3-4 Tbl of Olive oil, add the onions and saute for about 3-4 mins until they become  soft and translucent.

If you wish to use the tomato paste you can add at this point ( saute for 3 minutes) , if not just add the saffron and the paprika, saute for 2 minutes before you add the crushed or grated tomatoes

After adding the tomatoes saute and cook the sauce on low heat for about 20-25 minutes , do not forget the salt at this point.

If you wish to use the calamari , you may add them at this point while the sauce is cooking at 15 minutes

Continue cooking for 10 more minutes.

Add the veggies (optional), saute for about 3 minutes and then add the rice

Saute the rice for about 3-5 minutes until all the thick sauce is coated on the rice

Add the broth , cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes

Cover and reduce the heat to low , cook for about 15 minutes

5 minutes before the rice is completely cooked, add the sea food

Cover and continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes, turn off the heat. Let the Paella rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with parsley ( optional) and lemon wedges.

Hope you enjoy this meal as much as I did!

If you wish to watch how I made mine, kindly follow the link 

Mkate wa ufuta ( Sesame Bread)

Mkate wa Ufuta is one of original and traditional bread served in Zanzibar , Mombasa as well as mainland , its one of those delicacies than can be cooked right in front of you and served very hot it goes very well with samaki wa kupaka ( grilled fish coated with coconut sauce) or some nice spice chai. The batter is a mixture of flour , yeast and coconut milk, although it can be substituted with milk without effecting the texture or taste of the bread, I understand the original was done with water only but I have not tried it.

This bread is cooked on direct charcoal heat to create that amazing charcoal flavor in a very fascinating and rare technique  which most of us are not able to do so due to so many constrains or convenience so we improvise and use gas or electric ranges.

   

Many of us who prepare this bread reserve a separate special pan which is not too heavy or too light only for the bread, it is not used for anything else to avoid any sort of fat to touch the pan otherwise it becomes very difficult to cook it ....I hope am not making you scared. 

Having said all that, there’s always a way to improvise so one can get closer to the original. There are also portable cookers that can give similar results.

Like many Zanzibari dishes this is also versatile, it can be served for breakfast, lunch and dinner and seem to pair very well with coconut base curries , beans such as mbaazi ( pegeon peas ) and maharage as well ( red kidney beans) 

The recipe below yields about 4-6 breads.

3 Cups all purpose flour

3 tps yeast

2 1/4- 2 1/2 coconut cream / or regular milk

2 Tbls Yogurt (Optional)

Method: In a small bowl mix dry yeast and 3 tablespoons warm water and leave it to rise for about 5-10 minutes. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Mix flour with salt, egg and yeast. Add the milk/coconut and use a fork or whisk ensure there are no lumps, add the oil and the shortening and whip again until completely all the batter is well mixed. (Batter should be thick like cake mixture but more sticky/gummy). Cover the batter and place it in a room temperature let it rise, once it has risen double the size you beat it again and leave it to rise again, you may repeat this method 2 to 3 times (the more you beat/whip  it the softer/fluffier the bread) Get the broil preheated on the maximum heat. You need a medium size skillet not too heavy or too light. Heat the skillet on medium heat and sprinkle some water on hot skillet and pour the batter on it and use your hands (wet them) to spread the batter on the skillet for about ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and leave it for about 3 to 4 minutes, and as soon as the bubbles starts rising place it in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until its brown. Remove it from the heat and place it on cooling rack for few minutes and brush ghee or shortening on it. Serve them hot or at room temperature with any curry or vegetable dish

I have improvised the technique with barbecue grill and it was perfect. I have no idea why I never thought of it earlier.

BLACK LIME

Commonly known as black lemon but these black beauties  are actually dried black limes...I learned about black limes mainly out of love and curiosity for Persian food as it seems to be a very popular ingredient , however I was surprise to find that black limes actually originate from Oman and known by the name of Limoo ( perhaps that is how the Arabic to English translation to lemon..could be!) and of-course they are found in many middle eastern dishes from Kuwait, Saudi, Iraq and are known by different names such as Loomi, Limoo, Noomi etc.

Black limes in Middle East are used in numerous ways such as whole, a slice , powder or dry zest as souring agent in chutneys, stews, teas, salad dressings, soups and also blended with dried herbs to make Zaatar topping for flatbread .

I personally enjoy them with fish bbq and also Egyptian style okra. Now that I have shared on how to make the black limes it will be easy to share the recipes of many dishes as well but you can try with this delicious Saudi Traditional meal of rice and chicken called CHICKEN KABSA  . I found out that in India they flavor plain rice with black lime powder , I am not sure how I missed that! I pride myself to have a great knowledge in Indian cuisine since spent a very important part of my life India its like my birth right I have to know it ! Indian cuisine is very dear and close to my heart.  

The powder made from black limes  has a sweet-tart flavor a little bit of bitter ferment that is very unique and unusually earthy and a zesty dry aromas which seldom has a substitute, and I can see why. If you were to buy them, they are available in most Indian and Arab grocery stores and are so cheap and they last forever! if stored well of course but if you do not have access to Indian or Arab stores you can always make them at home, very simple.

I have tried the two techniques that am familiar with just to cover those who can keep them out in the sun and those who cannot, you can always use the oven. I did these sometime in Dec so I was comfortable having my oven on for several hours to warm the kitchen although the sun was not so hot it was merely a decoration and light than heat that I needed, so I used both the oven and the sun which ever was applicable but you can take a break but make sure you keep them in a rack so the they do not retain any moisture.

Store them in airtight glass or plastic container in a cool place.

1. I used 12 limes , you can use any amount.Wash the limes and remove any stickers

2. Bring about a liter of water to gentle boil , Add the lemons and blanch about 60-90 seconds only

3. Put them in ice bath, keep them for about 4-5 minutes until completely cooled

4. Wipe them well

Put them on wire rack and keep them out in the sun for about 2 -3 days or in the oven on 170F/75C for 2-3 days until you get the desired color and the lemons are hard and hollow

After 3 hours of sun 53F

2nd day after 8 hours sun 65F ( Not bad at all)

You can zest , a pinch goes well with black tea or salad dressing!

You can grind with Mortar and pestle

or grind in spice /coffee grinder for stew, soups etc 

Here's the zest, the powder and the whole lime

1. I used 12 limes , you can use any amount.

2. Wash the limes and remove any stickers

3. Bring about a liter of water to gentle boil 

4. Add the lemons and blanch about 60-90 seconds only

5. Put them in ice bath, keep them for about 4-5 minutes until cooled completely

6. Wipe them well

7. Put them on wire rack and keep them out in the sun for about 2 -3 days or in the oven on 170F/75C for 2-3 days until you get the desired color and the lemons are hard and hollow

If you would like to see how I made mine , please follow this link to my YouTube channel 

CHICKEN KABSA

When you are rice lover its not easy to ignore such beautiful simple dishes like Kabsa. Kabsa is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish of rice cooked with meat or chicken, lamb, fish etc. 

Kabsa is a very simple and has very unique flavors and aromas , it is very easy to prepare and has many variations as far as the seasoning is concerned , although dry or black lemon and cinnamon are obviously  the common ingredients in many recipes that I have come across.

Black lemon which is actually a black lime has nice fermented tangy flavors and aromas which blend very well with cinnamon and of course the lemon zest adds that freshness......

Kabsa , as per Wikipedia was originally known as Yemeni National food and it is also well loved adapted in many neighboring  Middle Eastern countries such as Oman, UAE, Qatar etc.

So it was one of those days where I missed my foodie life of UAE,  and I missed eating Kabsa. I did not have any Arab friends in UAE who prepared Kabsa at home so my experience with Kabsa was  always from a restaurant.  Thanks to google and YouTube,  now days attaining  knowledge in any field has never been easier , so I searched and researched the history and the recipe to compliment it. 

I was obviously looking for a recipe prepared by a Saudi if you know what I mean ( I am being bias here ;( .  I liked the recipe of  none other than the original charming Saudi lady named Eman , her recipe is brilliant I made it twice sometime back in 2013 and then after I became comfortable with it I twisted it with more ingredients to suit my palate even better but yet  managed to retain its originality.

The style of cooking Kabsa in my opinion is more of a technique than a recipe and that is why there are many variations to it.

Most of the spices are easily available in many grocery stores and the black lime can be purchased in Indian, Persian or Arab stores or..you can make your own and I will show you how.

Lets get cooking.......

For the chicken marinade

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbl Lemon juice

1 Tbl spoon of fresh and ginger garlic paste

Mix all the ingredients well and rub them into the chicken , cover it and let it sit for about 30-45 minutes.

 Wash , and rinse the rice. Soak it for about 20-30 minutes

In a large possible wide pan, heat the oil add onions and fresh ginger, saute till light brown

Add the dry spices and saute for about 2-3 minutes

Add tomato paste and mix well, add diced tomatoes. Let them cook for about 4 -5 minutes

Add the chicken pieces, whole spices and zest, let the chicken cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side

Add water, carrots. black lemon and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat , cover it and simmer for about  for about 20 to minutes or until the chicken is well cooked

Remove the chicken and place it in the baking pan -; 

                              

Add the rice in the chicken broth , simmer for about 15 minutes 

                                

Once the liquid has evaporated from the rice, cover it with aluminium foil and kitchen towel so that the steam does not escape too fast in order to keep the rice fluffy and moist- keep it on the low for about 15-20 minutes

Meanwhile brush the chicken quarters  with oil or butter and bake for about 5- 10 

                             
                        Saute the nuts for about 4 minutes on medium heat

                            

Ingredients:

For the chicken marinade

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbl Lemon juice

1 Tbl spoon of fresh and ginger garlic paste

Mix all the ingredients well and rub them into the chicken , cover it and let it sit for about 30-45 minutes.

For the rice

2 cups/390 gm Basmati rice 

1 cup diced onions

1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 tps turmeric powder

1/2 tps black pepper

1/2 tps white pepper

1/4 tps cloves

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup shredded carrots

2 black lemons

few strands of saffron ( optional)

For garnish - optional

Almonds, raisins or pine nuts , cashew nuts, pistachio etc

1 Tbl oil

Whole spices - optional

3 Cinnamon Sticks

3 Whole cardamoms

2 Bay leaves

3 Cloves

10 Peppercorns 

Method

Wash , rinse the rice and soak for about 20-30 minutes before cooking.

On a medium heat ,in a large sauce pan or pot heat up the oil and butter 


Add the onions and grated ginger and saute till brown


Add tomato paste and mix well, add diced tomatoes. Let them cook for about 4 -5 minutes


Add the chicken pieces, whole spices and zest, let the chicken cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side


Add water, carrots. black lemon and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat , cover it and simmer for about  for about 20 to minutes or until the chicken is well cooked


Turn the oven to 400F/200C or broil, keep baking tray or pan ready


Remove the chicken and place it in the baking pan -; 


Add the rice in the chicken broth , simmer for about 15 minutes 


Meanwhile brush the chicken quarters  with oil or butter and bake for about 5- 10 


Once the liquid has evaporated from the rice, cover it with aluminium foil or kitchen towel so that the steam does not escape in order to keep the rice nice and moist - keep it low heat for about 15 minutes.


Mean while use a small frying pan to saute the nuts.
Serve the chicken over the bed of rice and garnish with the various nuts 

    Enjoy your meal

If you would like to see how this dish is made you please press the link below