Here’s something you can add to your arsenal of delicious recipes, especially for the holidays–the Filipino Style Paella!
It is really special to make since it looks intimidating to cook at first, because of the number of ingredients involved. But once you have all of the ingredients, cooking it is nothing like it looks, because it will only be a breeze.
Continue to read on below the recipe article to see some trivia, as well as some tips for this irresistible seafood paella.
What is Paella?
Paella is one of the most popular Spanish dishes that has been adapted here in the Philippines due to the Spanish colonization and cultural influences back in the day.
There are many variations when it comes to making the paella, but what’s popular nowadays here in the Philippines is the Seafood Paella. It is composed of seafood such as squid, shrimp, and mussels, along with the popular spices used in paella–the saffron and paprika. These are then mixed and cooked with the rice.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Rice
We commonly use long-grained rice for this type of dish. You can try basmati rice or jasmine rice but you can pick any rice that is locally available to you.
Toppings
Paella has quite a number of seafood and meat toppings. You can try to complete them all to make it extra special but it’s okay to miss some of the topping ingredients.
Aside from these, you will also use regular pantry ingredients like onion, garlic, tomato, tomato sauce, salt, paprika, saffron, black pepper, and cooking oil. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Skillet/ Paellera- We traditionally use a paellera or a large skillet to cook and serve the paella. However, if you don’t have this, you can use any pan of a similar shape and size.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Make Filipino Style Paella
Making the Pinoy paella may seem a bit hard and overwhelming, but it is completely doable, even for beginners.
To start with making this dish. The main thing we need to think about is to let the flavors of each ingredient blend with each other, so we are only going to cook all of the ingredients in one large skillet or paellera.
First ingredients we need to cook are the squid and the shrimp. Wait until they are cooked and then proceed to set them aside. Next, we add the onion and the garlic. Just cook them until they are translucent and start to be aromatic and then set aside.
Then we boil the water and pour in the remaining ingredients, and let the rice cook there to absorb all the flavors. That will all be done in the same pan, and that’s pretty much it. Toss back the other ingredients we set aside back into the rice mix.
Cooking Tips
- If you still have fresh mussels, all you have to do with them is to boil them in water over high heat and then wait until the shells open. If there are some mussels which did not open, you can simply discard them.
- Use the pan specifically made for paella if you have one. It is a large and shallow pan which allows moisture to evaporate faster, this way, it will be easier for the rice to expand. If you don’t have this available with you, a wide skillet that’s not too heavy-bottomed is enough to make delicious paella.
- It is important to let the rice cook through, so don’t stir once you cover the skillet to simmer the rice. So make sure that the ingredients are well distributed quickly once tossed into the skillet and then leave the rice to cook.
- If you have ample time before serving the dish, you can let the rice cook for a bit, about 10 to 15 minutes, after turning off the heat to avoid it from being too moist from the cooking.
How to Serve Filipino Style Paella
Once the paella is cooked, it is traditionally served straight from the pan or paellera. Lemon wedges are often added before serving to add a burst of freshness and acidity to the dish. Paella is considered a complete meal in itself, but it can also be served with crusty bread or fried plantain slices to add some texture and variety to the meal.
How to Store and Reheat Filipino Style Paella
Here are some tips to ensure your leftovers stay fresh and safe to eat:
- Once cooled, transfer them into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.
- Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to two months.
- Don’t leave leftovers at room temperature for more than two hours, as this can be a potential food safety hazard.
One way to reheat paella is to use a pan. Simply place the paella in a pan and stir in a tablespoon of olive oil to loosen the rice. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and stir the paella frequently until it is completely warmed through. This method will help to ensure that the paella maintains its crispy texture and delicious flavors.
Another way to reheat paella is to use a microwave. Start by placing the paella in a microwave-safe container and cover it loosely with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap. Microwave the paella at 2 to 3-minute intervals until it is completely warmed through, stirring well after each interval to distribute heat. Be careful not to overheat the paella as this can dry out the rice and make the dish less appetizing.
Other Rice-Based Recipes
- Arroz Caldo (Pinoy Chicken Porridge) Recipe
- Easy Champorado Recipe
- Binutong (Bicolano Rice Cake) Recipe
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Filipino Style Paella Recipe
Equipment
- Paellera/ Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grained rice, uncooked
- 1 pc large-sized squid, sliced into rings
- 10 pcs large-sized shrimps
- 10 pcs mussels (tahong), cooked
- 10 pcs shell clams (halaan), cooked
- 4 pcs chorizo, cooked and chopped (optional)
- 2 pcs eggs, hard-boiled and quartered
- 1 pc onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pc medium-sized tomato, diced
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp saffron
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, pour-in and heat cooking oil over medium heat.
- Add-in the shrimp and the squid. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked. Set aside.
- In the same oil, add-in the chopped onion, and minced garlic. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes or until aromatic and soft. Set aside.
- Add-in the rice. Saute for 5 minutes. Pour-in the water and bring to a boil.
- Set to low heat. Add-in the tomatoes, paprika, saffron, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add back in the garlic and onion then pour-in the tomato sauce. Mix until well-incorporated. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
- Transfer to a serving plate or serving tray then top with the mussels, shell clams, chorizo, eggs, squid, and shrimp. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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