Vegetarian Paella

Hi friends, 

Spanish cuisine is extremely uncomplicated and is all about locally available produce. 

Last year we had been to Spain on our family vacation. Spain is a very colourful and exciting place to visit. Also a gourmand's Disneyland. So I brought back a locally produced rice variety called Bomba rice. This is a medium grain rice, short and round. It absorbs all the added liquid and at the same time remains dry and separate after cooking. A good and easily available alternative is arborio rice. 

Ingredients : 

1 cup Bomba rice

2 onions sliced

2 cloves garlic 

1.5 cups mixed vegetables 

1 tomato puréed

1 cup mushrooms quartered

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

2 tsp chili flakes

Salt to taste 

2 cups vegetable stock with a few strands of saffron soaked in it. 

Handful of chopped coriander leaves 

Method : 

In a pan add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once heated add the chopped garlic and onions. Sauté till translucent. Add the vegetables. Stir till almost done. Next add the rice and roast with the vegetables. Now add the chili and salt. Add the tomato purée and vegetable stock. Boil for about 5 mins. Next add the mushrooms and sliced tomatoes and cover and simmer for about 10 minutes till all the liquid is absorbed. At the end garnish with chopped coriander leaves. If you like , you may squeeze a lemon over the paella before serving.