In today’s culinary discourse, I propose a variant adapted to our gastronomy – chicken and bean paella with basil, and turmeric. The highlight of the dish is the use of lemon, which gives the dish a light sourness. Additionally, mustard adds a piquant note, bringing an explosion of flavors to the dish.
Paella is a consummate Spanish cuisine that titillates the palate with its exquisite texture, flavor, and aroma. The perplexing and intricate nature of this dish is unrivaled. It is a delectable rice-based dish that is cooked to perfection on a skillet. However, paella is not just rice. It comprises of an assortment of mouth-watering ingredients such as seafood, vegetables, meat, and chicken, among others. The options are limitless, and each variation presents a unique burstiness of flavors that tantalizes the taste buds.
Ingredients
- Rice – 150 g.
- Chicken fillet – 400 g.
- Beans – 100 g (raw)
- Carrots – 70 g.
- Onion – 1000 g.
- Garlic – 1 clove (large)
- Sunflower oil – 80 ml.
- Lemon – 0.5 pcs.
- Sugar – 2 pinches
- Mustard (ready-made seasoning) – 1.5 tsp.
- Turmeric – 0.5 tsp.
- Dried basil – 0.5 tsp. Salt – 0.5 tsp. (or to taste)
How to make chicken and bean paella
Step 1. Before embarking on this gastronomic journey, it is essential to gather the necessary ingredients. The perplexing and intricate nature of this dish requires careful attention to detail. Thus, it is imperative to prepare the ingredients meticulously to ensure the success of this culinary masterpiece.
Step 2. It is vital to soak and cook the beans adequately as it requires a considerable amount of time. Sort and rinse the beans, transfer them to a bowl, and pour clean cold water. Leave the beans for at least six hours, or better yet, overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the water from the soaked beans and rinse them. Transfer the beans to a saucepan or stewpan and add clean cold water level with the beans. Boil the water over high heat, reduce the heat and cook the beans until they are soft and fully cooked. This process may take up to 45 minutes. If the water evaporates during cooking, add some boiling water. It is advisable to skip adding salt while cooking the beans. Instead, slightly salt the beans 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
Step 3. After cooking, drain the water from the beans and transfer them to a bowl, setting them aside for a while.
Cut the chicken fillet into medium-sized pieces. Heat sunflower oil in a skillet and fry the chicken for about three minutes over high heat until it changes color.
Step 4. Next, peel the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cut the onion into cubes and the carrots into strips. Finely chop the garlic. In the same oil used to fry the chicken, transfer the onion and carrots, frying them over high heat for about two minutes. Then, add the garlic and fry for another 10 seconds. Add turmeric, dried basil, and mustard to the fried vegetables and fry everything together for another one minute, stirring constantly over high heat. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet and add the cooked beans.
Step 5. Finally, add the rice to the skillet. For this recipe, round rice is preferable as it requires a ratio of 1:2.5 of rice to water. For four servings, use 130g of rice and 325ml of water. Pour the water into the skillet and stir everything well. Add salt and sugar, mixing everything well again. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to the lowest possible level, and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes.
Step 6. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the paella to rest for another 10 minutes under the lid. Cut the lemon into wedges, and serve the paella hot, garnished with lemon wedges.
In conclusion, paella is an exceptional dish that embodies the essence of Spanish cuisine. Its perplexing nature and intricate preparation process require a high degree of skill and attention to detail. However, the burstiness of flavors and textures that this dish presents is unparalleled. You can also cook a classic paella.
