Filipino-Style Seafood Paella

Filipino-Style Seafood Paella

This version of paella is extremely popular and considered very typically Filipino dish despite its Spanish origins.

Ingredients:

12 fresh mussels in their shells, cleaned

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lb (250 g) fresh shrimp with shells on

1/4 lb (125 g) fresh squid, cleaned and cut into rings (instructions on how to clean fresh squid on page 70) or frozen squid, defrosted and cut into rings

5 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a knife and minced

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, washed and drained

3 cups (750 ml) water

One 2-in (5-cm) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tomato, diced

One 8-oz (227-g) can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup (150 g) olives, pitted and sliced

3 limes, cut into segments, to garnish

Serves 4 

Preparation time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Direction:

1. Add a bit of water to a pot and steam or boil the mussels over medium to high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the shells open. Discard any mussels that are not open. Set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and squid, and sauté for 3 minutes, or until cooked. Remove the shrimp and squid from the pan and set aside.
3. To the same skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Remove the garlic and onion from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the rice for about 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the ginger, tomato, tomato sauce, paprika, salt and fish sauce. Add the sautéed garlic and onion. Mix thoroughly. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Add the pepper and stir to combine.
5. Place the rice on a serving platter and top with the olives, shrimp, mussels and squid. Garnish with slices of lime. Serve hot.