Dish of the Week: Paella

Now, it’s a common misconception that a lot of students are utterly inept in the kitchen. Unless you’re my housemate, I completely disagree. You’ve got to strip away the myth that a lot of tasty things look bloody difficult to make, because in reality, they’re dead easy. Here I present the staple dish that falls under this branch, the humble paella.

The paella has defined my university career. It’s a firm favourite amongst all of my family and friends, and it’s so easy to make. If you’re a fresher looking to win over your new flatmates, whack up a paella. If you need to batch cook something healthy and tasty, then look no further then this little Spanish bad boy.

So, how do you rustle this up? Grab a couple of chicken breasts, a ring of chorizo, a couple of peppers, spring onions, paella rice, garlic and some chicken stock pots. Chop everything up, then on a medium heat, splash a bit of oil in a massive pan (I’m talking wok standard at the very least), and chuck in the chicken and chorizo with the garlic. If you like, sprinkle a smidge of paprika over the chicken for that smooth kick in the throat. Do that for about ten minutes, then chuck the spring onions and peppers in, give them a stir for a couple of minutes and you get the most gorgeous smell ever. Then, pop the rice in and give it a quick mix in with the meat and veg, then add chicken stock in and stir. Let it simmer and keep adding more stock in as necessary, until the rice is soft.

Then you’re all set, share or freeze to your heart’s delight, and it will be delighted, because this paella is a dish not to be missed.