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Vegan Paella

It's easy to make paella; you can't fail as long as you follow the instructions. While the traditional version is usually served with seafood; You can garnish it with stir-fry 'chikeun', seared vegan chorizo, or even "seafood" made of king oyster mushrooms; Use your imagination!
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Equipment

Ingredients
  

4-6 portions

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3-5 cloves minced garlic feel free to add some more :)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup green peas possible frozen
  • 1 medium eggplant diced
  • 200 grams mushrooms Champignon, Cremini, Portobello
  • 1 cup okra possible frozen, optional
  • 2 cups Spanish rice or Risotto rice (do not use sushi rice)
  • 100 grams tomato paste
  • 4¾ cups boiling water
  • pinch saffron soaked in a ¼ of hot water
  • 2 tsp salt to taste

optional addition

  • 2-3 lasagna sheets, broken to 3-4 pieces or any other large pasta- such as Cannelloni

For Serving

  • Carved half a lemon, strips of roasted bell pepper, roasted peanuts, stir-fried "chicken" or vegan chorizo slices seared on a griddle pan

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a paella pan (or a large sauté pan), add garlic, and fry for a few seconds until it smells delicious, add onion and fry until golden.
  • Add peas and red bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until semi-soft.
  • Add the rest of the vegetables. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are almost ready.
  • Add rice, mix with the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add boiling water, tomato paste, salt, saffron (together with its soaking water), and mix. Taste and add salt if necessary. Add the broken lasagna sheets, press them inside (so they don’t dry out).
  • Cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes; Lower to low heat and cook for another 10 minutes; Remove from heat, cover the pan with a large kitchen towel and control yourself for another 10 minutes 😉

For Serving

  • Place a carved lemon in the center of the pan, garnish with strips of roasted bell pepper, stir-fried "chicken" or seared vegan chorizo; For crunchiness, sprinkle some toasted peanuts.

Notes

  • Don't use basmati or jasmine rice. You will end up with a completely different texture from the traditional dish.
  • Thanks to Monica for a recipe that gains compliments from everyone who eats it!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!