Some recipes simply make you feel lazy. Their steps are daunting, even scary, and the ingredients seem like a headache to find at the store. I think that’s why most people prefer quick and easy recipes with usually ten ingredients or less, including water and salt. But once in a blue moon, I encounter a complex recipe that excites me. One that can be made simple, but I would rather not cut corners. One with ingredients that can be hard to find but make grocery shopping an adventure. One with so many ways to cook it, and I would want to explore them all. And usually, the dish comes with a rich history that I love to nerd out to. Paella is that recipe. Paella excites me so much.
Perhaps it’s finding out what “socarrat” means or what it’s like to cook with saffron that makes me feel giddy. Saffron can be hard to find anywhere. Even when I was in the States, I can’t just casually walk to any store and find it on the shelves. So, when I moved to the Philippines, I didn’t expect to find saffron at all. Yet there it was at the spices section of my local grocery store. I spotted the elusive saffron, and it’s Quezon City! But because saffron is so rare, it’s also costly. So, I had to walk away and deliberate whether to buy it. Then, just like rationalizing a splurge, I said to myself, “But this is for work!”
As for the socarrat, I just recently heard of it. It turns out it’s a romantic Spanish way of saying “tutong,” the Tagalog term for the crusty bottom of a home-cooked rice. Nowadays, you won’t find it because rice cookers cook rice evenly. But I’m guessing socarrat is specifically meant for paellas. It’s the coveted toasty bottom with concentrated flavors. Others would argue it’s not paella if it has no socarrat.
Another thing that fascinates me is paella’s rich history. The original paella is from Valencia, Spain, and it traditionally has chicken, rabbit, lima beans, and the short round grain called “bomba” rice. Purists would argue that any other renditions, like seafood and chorizo, are no longer paella, but you can call them “Arroz de.” So, technically, mine would be “Arroze de Vegan.” I like that at least even the ones with clam or chorizo are also not considered traditional. The vegan version does not seem like that much of an outcast.
Of course, other renditions have morphed, especially when paella came to the Philippines when Spain colonized us for hundreds of years. In the Philippines, you’ll find Paella Valenciana, an Iloilo specialty, in the Visayan region. Although it uses the name of the Spanish region where paella came from, the Ilonggo paella deviates from the original because it uses sticky white rice, coconut milk, hard-boiled eggs, raisins, pork, and more. Up north, in Pampanga, they have Bringhe, which also uses sticky white rice and coconut milk, but they cook their bringhe in banana leaves.
My vegan version is more like the Spanish version with plant-based substitutes. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop there. I can’t wait to explore the Ilonggo and Kapampangan versions, too. There’s more fun to be had! Paella is one complex recipe I love exploring again and again. It’s a welcomed challenge that I hope will excite you too. Let me know how it goes. I hope you have fun!
- Olive oil
- 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic
- one medium onion, minced
- one small red bell pepper, minced
- few pinches of salt and pepper.
- one (14 ounces) can of diced tomatoes
- few pinches of smoked paprika
- few pinches of saffron, or few pinches of turmeric
- one cup short-grain rice
- 2 cups vegan broth
TOFU AND MUSHROOM FILLING::- trumpet mushrooms
- straw mushrooms
- vegan sausages
- green peas
- red bell pepper
- roasted nori seaweed
- lemon slices
- Heat a medium size pan over medium heat and pour the olive oil.
- Add the garlic, onions, and red bell pepper. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. Cook until the onions have turned slightly soft and translucent.
- Mix in the diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, and saffron or turmeric.
- Add the rice and vegan broth and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Turn down the heat to low-medium heat. Uncovered, let the rice cook for 15 minutes or until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid.
- Meanwhile, on a separate pan, add cooking oil and fry your mushrooms and sausages. Turn off the heat.
- Once the rice has fully absorbed the liquid, turn up the heat to medium heat and let it cook until the edges have turned dark and toasted.
- While the edges are developing "socarrat" or tasty edges and bottom, add your toppings: mushrooms, sausages, peas, red bell pepper, seaweed, and lemon.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot.