Paella (Seafood Rice Dish)

Wash and rinse the rice in the pot you will be cooking it in until the water runs clear, then strain. Add clean water, a little salt, and the saffron. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium heat. Cook the rice until slightly undercooked. Strain, rinse, and set aside.

Heat a pan until smoking hot. Add a little vegetable oil and flash fry the calamari strips until light golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat a large pan and add vegetable oil. Sauté the onions and carrots until golden brown, then add the chorizo. Cook until the paprika from the chorizo turns the oil red.

Add the rice, smoked paprika, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix every now and then. Add the calamari and mussels, mix, and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest.

Add the baby peas, mix, and then lastly add the prawns on top of the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, then mix. A rice crust should start forming at the bottom. If the rice starts to burn, turn the heat down slightly. Taste to check seasoning. Turn off the heat once the prawns are pink but not fully cooked. The residual heat will cook the prawns further.

Plate the paella and garnish with the lemon wedges and roughly chopped coriander.