For several years, we hesitated to open the Basmati rice that we brought from one of our travels (from a past life). But the time has come ;) After reading information about seafood paella, we decided to prepare such a combination, having experience in cooking pilaf but zero experience with seafood and basmati...
Ingredients:
300 g of rinsed basmati rice
seafood: 400 g of frozen mix, 200 g of seafood cocktail, 100 g of mussels
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
half of a large red bell pepper
1 medium-sized tomato
150 g of frozen green peas
300 ml of water
spices (curry, smoked paprika, salt, hot red chili pepper)
Thoroughly rinse the rice. Do this until the water in which we wash it becomes completely clear.
Chop the onion. Cut the garlic (we practice crushing the clove with the knife blade first, then cutting it). Cut the pepper into large cubes, and the tomato can be cut the same way.Β
Defrost the seafood and peas. Prepare the water that we will add in two stages.
Stage 2: Cooking
We will cook the dish in a pan with thick walls. Heat it well and add a small amount of olive oil.
ΠΏΡΠΎΠ³ΡΡΠ²Π°ΡΠΌΠΎ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½Ρ
When the pan with oil is heated, add the garlic. We will fry it for literally 30-40 seconds, stirring very actively with a spatula. It should release its aroma into the oil.
Π²Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠΌΠΎ ΡΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊ
After that, add the onion and fry until it changes color to a light golden. We do these processes over medium heat.Add the bell pepper and tomatoes. Here we will cook them until almost all the juice from the tomatoes evaporates.
Π΄ΠΎΠ΄Π°ΡΠΌΠΎ ΡΠΎΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈ ΡΠ° ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅ΡΡ
In general, these stages are very similar to preparing the filling for the Empanada pie, which we have already written about (and cooked) earlier, as these are +- dishes from the same cuisine. But further processes change somewhat.
When the excess liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated, itβs time to add the rice.
Π²Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠΌΠΎ ΡΠΈΡ
We will periodically stir it so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. As soon as it starts to become slightly transparent, add half a cup of the water we prepared at the previous stage.
ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠΌΠ°ΠΆΡΡΠΌΠΎ ΡΠΈΡ
When the water has almost evaporated, add the raw seafood and fry, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. This is where we decided to add most of the spices: salt, smoked paprika, and chili pepper. We decided not to add simple black pepper, as chili is already nuclear on its own. We added it on the tip of a knife.
Π²Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠΌΠΎ ΠΌΠΎΡΠ΅ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΊΡΠΈ ΡΠ° ΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΡΡ
After that, add the green peas and fry for a few more minutes.
Π²Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠΌΠΎ Π³ΠΎΡΠΎΡΠΎΠΊ
Finally, add the seafood cocktail, curry, pour in the remaining water, taste for salt, stir, and cover with a lid.
Π²Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠΌΠΎ ΠΊΠΎΠΊΡΠ΅ΠΉΠ»Ρ Π· ΠΌΠΎΡΠ΅ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΊΡΡΠ²
Π·Π°ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Π°ΡΠΌΠΎ ΠΊΡΠΈΡΠΊΠΎΡ, Π±ΡΠ»ΡΡΠ΅ Π½Π΅ ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡΡΡΡΠΌΠΎ
After this stage, we will not stir or open the lid until the dish is ready. This will take about 15 minutes, as basmati cooks quite quickly. The main thing is to reduce the heat to the minimum.
Since the lid of the pan is transparent, it is easy to visually control the readiness of the dish. The rice will increase in volume, absorbing the water. In the paella recipe, we saw that instead of water, meat broth is used, but we decided not to complicate things this time.
Itβs time to turn off the gas and let our rice rest under the lid for another 10 minutes.
Stage 3: Tasting
Since seafood βgoes wellβ with sour flavors, we decided to drizzle the finished dish with lime juice. We also seasoned the rice with a glass of dry white wine. This is also a good complement to mussels, octopus, squid, shrimp, rice, and vegetables. Enjoy! ;)
Π³ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²Π° ΡΡΡΠ°Π²Π°
ΠΎΡΡ ΡΠ°ΠΊΠ° Π²Π΅ΡΠ΅ΡΡ
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