Vegetable Paella

An excellent one-pot meal that is packed with vegetables and flavour
Ingredients - Serves 4
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large (or 300 g) onion, cut into chunks
  • 6-8 cloves (or 20 g) of garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large capsicums (or bell peppers), any colour
  • 1 cup zucchini (or courgette), cut into cubes
  • 1 fennel bulb, sliced, optional
  • 1 cup eggplant (or aubergine or brinjal), cut into cubes
  • 2 medium-sized (or 200 g) tomatoes, quartered, optional
  • 8 pitted spanish green (or any other) olives, optional
  • 1½ cups calasparra rice or risotto rice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1½ tsp spanish paprika (or any other paprika with quantity adjusted)
  • ½ tsp saffron strands
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder (or cayenne pepper)
  • 4-4½ cups vegetable stock or water
  • fresh parsely, chopped, optional
  • lemon wedges, optional
Steps
  1. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan. Saute the onion until soft
  2. Add the capsicum, fennel and eggplant and fry till soft
  3. Add the garlic, bay leaves, turmeric, paprika and red chilli powder
  4. Mix in the rice and cook for 2 minutes
  5. Add the vegetable stock and saffron, adjust seasoning and cook uncovered on low heat till almost all the liquid is absorbed
  6. Add zucchini and tomatoes (don't mix), cover and set aside for 15 minutes
  7. Add olives, garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with a wedge of lemon
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