Veggie Paella

The combination of garlic, smoked paprika and olive oil is what for me makes a perfect paella.

What distinguishes paella for me is the combination of garlic, smoked paprika, olive oil and rice. To these flavours you could off course add chorizo, chicken or seafood, but according to me you don’t need it at all. I like to keep my paella simple, but with an intense and deep flavour. The oyster mushrooms add a meaty texture.

Ingredients:

• 4 tomatoes, in small cubes
• Half a bulb of garlic, smashed
• 1 tbl pimentón (smoked paprika)
• 3 bell peppers in various colours, in thin slices
• 1 bulb of fennel, in small cubes
• 2 red onions in half slices
• 2 cups brown basmati rice
• 1 red chilli
• 2 hands of oyster mushrooms, cut into chunks
• 500 ml boiled water
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Preparation:

• Start with frying the garlic, onion, peppers, and chilli in plenty of olive oil.
• Add seasoning and pimentón and fry until light brown.
• Add the tomatoes and stir until it has slightly thickened.
• Add the rice and stir again until the rice has soaked up some of the liquid.
• Then stir in the hot water, bring to a boil and let simmer on a low heat until the rice is cooked and the water has evaporated.
• If the water evaporates before the rice is cooked, add some more hot water.
• Meanwhile fry the oyster mushrooms in olive oil and seasoning until lightly browned, let it fry on a low heat for a while longer so they dry out a bit.
• Serve the paella with the oyster mushrooms on top.

I am sure this would never be considered a paella in Spain, but I love the combination of these typical flavours without using any meat or fish!