This is an exciting dish; super-tasty and bursting with flavour. It’s extremely difficult not to eat its components while cooking. I just about kept it together before devouring tonight.
These portions make four very hearty servings.
2 litres of good quality chicken stock, boiling
300g of basmati rice, washed
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
Half a green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 large, firm plum tomato, diced
Juice and zest of two limes
125g fresh raw prawns, shelled (weight after shelling)
2 chicken breasts, diced
100g chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
Pinch of saffron
2 teaspoons of hot smoked paprika (if you cannot get the hot variety, the sweet variety is fine – but you will need to compensate for the heat with 1tsp of chilli powder)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Hot lime pickle, to serve
1. First of all, dry fry your chorizo in a large, deep, hot pan until almost crispy and it has released all of its beautiful oil. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Fry the chicken in the leftover oil until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
3. Dissolve the saffron in the boiling stock in a large pan and add the rice.
4. Flash fry the prawns in the remaining oil – adding a little olive oil if it seems dry. The prawns will cook within a minute or two. Set aside.
5. To the same pan, now add the garlic, onions and peppers. Saute for a couple of minutes. You want to retain a little crispness.
6. Return the meats and prawns to the pan. Season with sea salt, fresh black pepper and the two teaspoons of hot smoked paprika. Pour in the lime juice and zest and stir well.
7. Add the chopped tomato to the pan and stir. By now, the rice should be almost cooked. Once it is tender, drain the rice and tip it into the meat and vegetable mixture. Toss everything together.
8. Serve in four warm bowls, topped with hot lime pickle. You may now pass out with happiness.