The Secrets to a Great Paella

There are many, many divided opinions on what makes a Spanish paella "authentic"...just do a search on the Web. Some say it's the type of rice, using a proper paella pan, the heat source, chicken AND rabbit....and most of all, no stirring!!! So I'd rather not get into that discussion.

Good thing the Spanish forebears must've passed on the Paella-cooking gene along with Paella-loving gene because it's one of those dishes I somehow know how to cook without actually being shown how.

Chicken and Chorizo paella made from our go-to paella recipe
using yellow instead of red capsicum.

Over the years, I've compiled a few absolutely essential must-haves and must-dos if you want to get the best tasting, tender paella with a well-formed socarrat lining the bottom of the pan. Thought it's about time I share these little secrets and hopefully inspire you to start making this nutritious, flavourful dish at home that's a real crowd-pleaser.

Always start with the best quality paella rice. I'm sorry, I know that they're hard to find, and quite frankly expensive, but rice is the star of the show here. No compromises! I use this particular brand of rice, Arroz Calasparra grown by the Cooperativa del Campo Virgen de La Esperanza in Spain. Calasparra is, of course, a region in Spain but they have used this as the branding for a cross-breed (Balilla x Sollana) short-grain rice. Bomba is another variety you can use for making paella.

Browning the meat(s) in batches. Stir-fry the meats in batches to seal in the juices, keep them from disintegrating, and add flavour to the sofrito. Transfer the meat to a plate when browned and set aside to be added again later.

I use artisan chorizo made by L'Authentique,
cutting it into 2 cm chunks.

Speaking of sofrito....this requires a lot of patience. I use only fresh vine tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped. No skimping on the olive oil - oh, and use the best quality extra-virgin, cold-pressed Spanish olive oil you can find. On medium-low heat, add the onions first and stir-fry until they start to caramelize before adding garlic and turmeric (if using instead of saffron). After around a couple of minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and stir-fry until the mixture thickens and the solids separate from the oil. It's so hard to describe, but do watch the mixture closely and add more oil if required. There should be enough oil to coat the rice.


Day old, homemade chicken broth that's re-heated and kept hot. Here's a basic one from Taste of Home that you can build up to your own taste. I add a handful of oregano to this recipe for added flavour and nutrients. Or fish stock if you're making seafood paella.

Finally, keep it simple!!! Do not go overboard with the ingredients because, as I've said earlier, rice is the star of the show.

Now let's get cookin'! Here's a few of my favourite recipes to get you started:

1. Chicken and Chorizo Paella from BBC Good Food - our go-to paella recipe because it's the simplest and a real crowd pleaser.
2. My favourite Seafood Paella recipe is from La Tienda.
3. Bon Appetit's Seafood Paella. Now this is a modern take on a paella, and more of a paella-risotto fusion, but who am I to quibble when it looks absolutely fantastic? Definitely one to impress your guests and worth all the effort. 
4. If you want a true, authentic paella, then try this recipe from Alicante, Spain's travel web site. Getting hold of some rabbit meat might just be little challenging so good luck!

The best part is placing the paella pan in the middle of the table with a Spanish wine, and get the crowd to help themselves - using wooden spoons, of course!

A Quick Guide to Fats

The cold weather usually brings a massive craving for comfort food, preferably with lots of fats like stews, deep fried goodies, and luscious puddings. I'm eating some of the new Whittaker's spiced dark chocolate as I write. Absolutely delicious and oh-so-comforting!

So I thought it's about time I write something to debunk the myths about this much-maligned nutrient.

Our body needs fats to be healthy. Fats provides insulation for our bodies. It protects our internal organs, keeps our hair and skin healthy, and helps our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  

Our cell membranes are made up of fats and proteins, and it is the fats that allow the selective transport of substances in and out of the cell. Fats are also essential components of hormones and hormone-like substances such as protaglandins that regulate many body functions. 

Fats are actually a more efficient energy source per gram compared to carbohydrates and proteins. We burn carbohydrates within the first 20 minutes when we're exercising, and after that we rely on fats to continue fueling our bodies.

So how do we ensure that our bodies get the fats it needs to be healthy? While at the same time preventing cholesterol build-up and obesity? 

(1) Whole foods and free range meats. Whole foods contain the right balance of nutrients to help you digest and absorb only the nutrients that you need. Free range chicken is a good example. Chicken skin is actually mainly made up of monounsaturated fats in the form of oleic acid. Oleic acid, also found in olive oil, is known for beneficial effects on cholesterol. While chicken skin does contain unsaturated fats but you do need some of that, too.

Whole foods are naturally low in fats, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. They also contain plenty of soluble fiber that can help lower LDL (“bad”) blood cholesterol by interfering with the absorption of dietary cholesterol.

It's not just what you eat but how you prepare and cook your food that makes a huge difference on how much nutrients are left when you consume it. For example, olive oil breaks down at high temperatures so I would only use it in salad dressings and low temperature cooking. Coating chicken with flour before frying also increases the amount of fat that it retains when cooked. 

(2) The optimum amount of different fats that your body needs. We all know that there are different types of fats: fatty acids, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans-fatty acids. This article rates them from best to worst and provides a traffic light guide on what and how much to eat. I find this type of guide very useful as it is not overly prescriptive. 

As a guide, healthy adults should consume a maximum of 30% of calories from fats, with around 10% from "Yellow Light fats". 

**Remember that what "optimum" means depends on many factors, such as how much physical activity you do, if you're recovering from an illness, or the season of the year. If you need help figuring this out, drop me a note :)

Holistic Treatments for Respiratory Illness in Children

There's a sick 8 year old behind me, coughing a bit but in good spirits. It's day 2 since he started showing symptoms of an upper respiratory infection: runny nose during the day, congested nose at night, cough and a bit of difficulty breathing.

A few years ago, he was hospitalised for croup and his blood oxygen level dropped so low that he had to wear an oxygen mask for a couple of days. There was a croup epidemic at that time, and the children's ward was full. It was really scary listening to them coughing like that, especially through the night. That was  a wake up call for me to find the best remedies and treatments for respiratory illnesses that has helped him stay well and get over infections quickly.

Common respiratory infections like colds, influenza, and acute bronchitis are not bad in themselves; with each infection you build up your immunity naturally. However, the condition can deteriorate pretty quickly in children because their immune systems are weaker.

I've compiled a short list of these treatments, some of them I've discovered through my research and some have been passed on by my grandmother and aunties.

Healing Diet. With asthma running in both sides of the family and a nut allergy on top of that, his diet has always been nut-free and we try to avoid sugar, wheat and dairy products. I've listed some articles below that take the hype out and provide evidence on why certain foods must be avoided.

The basics of a healthy diet is the same for all ages and is really very simple: whole, seasonal, and sustainably-grown food. It's not realistic to expect children to get all the essential nutrients from their food, though. Supplements are still needed and again, it doesn't have to be complicated. A high quality multivitamin, preferably one with iron such as Floradix or Clinician's MultiVitamin and Mineral Boost throughout the year.

Vitamin C. As soon as the colder weather arrives, I start giving him more Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in divided doses. That is, two to four times per day depending on how busy we are. The dosage depends on need. I'm not a big fan of megadoses, but I do increase the dosage up to bowel tolerance when fighting an infection. The Mayo Clinic has published a comprehensive guide to Vitamin C supplementation.

Rest and warmth. Nip it in the bud by staying at home as soon as the first symptoms appear. It is dismaying to see so many children who continue going to school with full blown symptoms. Not only are they at high risk of prolonging the illness and developing complications, they also spread the infection to other children.

Healing Soups and Herbal Teas. Taking plenty of fluids to stay hydrated is a well-known treatment for respiratory infections. However, children are never keen on drinking water or juice all day. So I include healing soups or, if they can't swallow chunky pieces of food, clear broths. Here are a few delicious healing soup recipes:

• Super Immune Boosting Chicken Soup  
• Seriously Healing Soup
• Homemade Bone Broth
• Super Soups (Vegetarian)

Herbal teas are another absolute must haves in our household. I usually buy an organic tea blend and have it at hand all throughout autumn and winter. My favourites are the Expectorant Tea Blend from the Wellington Apothecary and the Immuno Boost Tea from Artemis. My son loves to stir some honey on his warm tea himself, though I have to keep a close eye on how much he puts in it!

Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey. We have two ways of taking this wonderfully effective remedy. First is to mix a teaspoon each with a cup of warm water for drinking once a day. The second way is to make a delicious homemade cough syrup using this recipe from Mary Younkin.

Aromatherapy. Getting some sleep is nearly impossible if you have a congested nose and a cough. Good thing my grandmother has taught us a very effective remedy: aromatherapy massage with diluted essential oils. I find that my son is ok with the most commonly available essential oil, eucalyptus, diluted in an almond oil carrier. But to stay on the safe side, read this Essential Oil Blend Recipes for Babies and Children. I rub the diluted oil on his chest, back, arms, legs, hands and feet just before bed time and this helps him sleep soundly. Last night, I had to listen closely to make sure he's all right because he was sleeping so quietly. No coughing at all! A very deep healing sleep.


REFERENCES
I have put together a list of evidence-based articles that helps explain the rationale behind this treatment plan:

• The Dangers of Cow's Milk by Linda Fonden Palmer
• Got Proof? Lack of Evidence for Milk's Benefits by Dr. Mark Hyman
• Against the Grain by Michael Spector
• Managing Respiratory Infections with Herbs 

And a couple of videos on pediatric massage:

• Pediatric Acutherapy and Tui Na (Chinese Medical Massage)
• Baby Massage: Coughs and Colds 

 

A Healthy Weekend Routine

I look forward to Saturday mornings because of its nice little routine that goes like this: plan the coming week's meals, go to the fresh market, brunch, and a little walk around town. Planning can be as simple as searching the web for recipes, or as involved as going through my foodie magazine and cookbook collection AND searching the web for recipes.

I used to write the plan in a professional-looking document, accompanied by a shopping list that I'd then print out and take to the market. Recently I've gone paperless, using Evernote, planning the meals and creating the list in my laptop computer then syncing it with my smart phone. Definitely a lot more efficient,  with the added flexibility of making last minute changes while shopping. This lets me take advantage of what's in season, or try out new artisan products I find at the fresh market.

We're so lucky in Wellington to have Moore Wilson's Fresh, which sells not only fresh produce and artisan products, but has a whole section dedicated to fine wines from around the world, craft beers, and liqueurs. They also have a wholesale dry goods section, and an Alladin's Cave for cooks filled with culinary implements and gadgets to help you become an expert...or just to impress your friends :) I've got my eye on their ceramic tapas bowls and plates collection for a while now.

It's best to be early to beat the rush at the market. Parking becomes nearly impossible after 10 a.m.and you'll have to elbow your way to get to the herbs and vegetables. Or queue up to get your pancetta sliced! This being my favourite cured meat means I have as much as 500 g sliced sometimes and this takes a very long time, indeed!

Once were done with shopping, it's time for Wellington's most popular weekend foodie activity: brunch! I've got one criterion for choosing a place to eat: must have great coffee!! Luckily, this is also the coffee capital of New Zealand so we're generally spoiled for choice. The Top Notch Brunch Spots is a great guide to get you started brunching in the city.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Flight Coffee Hangar for the first time. It was pretty busy but the staff were friendly and they had one of the best single-origin filtered coffee selection I've seen around town. I had a light, floral Sidama from Ethiopia and a fragrant, sweet Kenyan Wakulima.

It started to rain while I was at the cafe. So I had to wait a bit before going on a short walk back to the carpark. On the way, I stumbled on this neat little place called Wellington Apothecary Co.  An apothecary, strictly speaking, is an old name for what has now evolved to become a pharmacy or chemist. This one is actually a "dispenser of herbal remedies," according to its web site.

I was offered a warming cup of herbal tea, and spent a good 20 minutes exploring and discussing the merits of various essential oils with the lovely herbalist on duty. I was really impressed by her knowledge and the number of dried herbs on display. Went away with a couple of herbal teas: a depurative blend to cleanse the blood, and an expectorant to strengthen the immune system for the coming change of season. I also bought a Eucalyptus essential oil and almond oil to act as a carrier. This oil is great for easing the discomfort from coughs, colds and the flu. I will visit again and perhaps get them to custom-blend some teas for me.

This pretty much takes up a good part of the morning, but having a routine like this is a great way to set a relaxing, mindful, and healthy theme for the weekend. What's your healthy weekend routine?

Pappardelle with Chorizo and Swiss Chard

I don't even remember when my love affair with pasta started. Growing up in a country where rice is the staple food, my mother used to complain that I cooked pasta way too often. Like every weekend! She did keep buying those Better House and Gardens magazines that kept me inspired to try new pasta recipes, though.

Today, I was in a hurry to get dinner on the table because I wanted to do a full hour of yoga. This dish took around 20 minutes to make, including preparing and cutting all the ingredients. A vitamin-packed, crowd pleaser that's perfect for those long summer nights.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil or porcini-infused olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
150 g chorizo (I used chorizo velita), thinly sliced
175 g feta cheese, sliced into small pieces
a handful of basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
a bunch of baby Swiss chard leaves, coarsely chopped
500 g fresh parpadelle pasta
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain, leaving a little water, and keep warm.

2. While the pasta is cooking , heat the olive oil in a heavy based, large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry for one minute per side.

3. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry until brown, then add the basil and Swiss chard leaves.

4. Stir in the pasta and the reserved cooking liquid. Add feta cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to coat the pasta with the oil and distribute the other ingredients evenly. 

5. Garnish with whole basil leaves and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Spinach may be used in place of Swiss Chard.
• Chorizo velita is a dry-cured Iberian sausage seasoned with salt and red natural pepper. If you can't find these, any Spanish chorizo will do.

Architecture and Happiness

The unusually warm weather has been keeping me outdoors, so this recipe took a while to publish. Last week, I took a short walk to revisit some of Wellington City's oldest structures, from the Town Hall down to Cuba Street, and I'm sharing some of the photos I took here. That short walk was inspired by Alain de Botton's The Architecture of Happiness, where he expounds on why the quality of our surroundings can make us happy, or miserable.

Some of the buildings were truly worthy of admiration, but some made me think the architect took the mixed Edwardian style of that era just a bit too far! Like the mullioned windows of The Kennedy Buildings below. The different sizes, numbers, and shapes on each floor make me want to tear it down and start over.

On the other hand, I love the symmetry, columns, and ornate decorations on the BNZ building and look forward to that day in 2018 when Burger King's lease expires.

This unusually warm weather - unusual for Wellington, that is - calls for grilled dishes that you can easily slap on to a barbecue. When I'm in a hurry, I stick to salt and pepper and just embellish with chutneys and sauces on the side. This lamb dish can still be ready within half an hour and is full of flavour that you won't need anything but the simplest of salads to accompany it.

Ingredients
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
2 grams mint leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
cracked pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
750 g butterflied leg lamb

Greek yoghurt and parsley

Method

1. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds on a hot pan until fragrant, around 30 seconds.
2. Place the toasted seeds on a mortar and pestle, add the mint leaves, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Pound all these into a rough paste.
3. Rub the spice paste on the butterflied leg of lamb, cover, and leave the lamb to marinate for at least an hour at room temperature. Marinating overnight inside the refrigerator is best, but the lamb must be brought back to room temperature before cooking.
4. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cover a shallow roasting pan with aluminium foil and place the lamb on the foil, cut side up.
5. Roast the lamb for around 45 minutes, or until an instant read meat thermometer registers 60 degrees C for medium rare, or 65 degrees C for medium. 
6. Allow at least 20 minutes resting before carving and serve with some Greek yoghurt and flat leaf parsley on the side.

Recipe Notes

When I first read up on how long the roasting time should be, I got quite confused with the myriad of methods available. Luckily, I found this article from the Reluctant Gourmet. I decided for a lower, constant temperature to let the flavours slowly develop but it really is a matter of preference (or time constraint). Enjoy!

Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf

Today is the Day After Yoga Flash Mob, and I'm really feeling the after effects of the 90-minute class under the hot midday sun.  In a good way, of course! Still, it was nice to take things easy today and have one of those do nothing Sundays where you can read magazines at your leisure. Today's read was the latest issue of Cuisine Magazine, full of light, fresh salads and marinated meats that you can just slap on the barbecue. I certainly took my time looking at the photos while putting together this week's meal plan.

The first dish that I'm sharing today is a vegetarian rice pilaf, full of aromatic flavors from the Middle East. You can make a really simple version and add almonds and pine nuts to make it more festive.

There are many recipes for rice pilaf on the web, and some are really entertaining to read. The possible combinations of aromatics, herbs and dried fruit and nut are endless. I usually make a cumin+cardamom+cinnamon+coriander pilaf to go with curries, but today I decided to create this Middle Eastern-inspired version to complement a roast lamb dish.

For me, the most important thing is the quality of the rice you use. I always use the best quality basmati rice I could get hold of, washing it several times until the water runs clear to get the starches out. Just make sure that the water is drained out before cooking. That's the secret to light, fluffy rice pilaf.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
400 g basmati rice (2 cups)
1/2 cup currants, sultanas, or dried almonds. Or any combination of these three.
750 ml water or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
a handful of curly leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup  toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts (optional)

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and stir-fry until soft and caramelised, but not browned.
2. Add turmeric and cumin and continue stir-frying until fragrant. This should take around 30 seconds. Make sure you carefully watch the spices so they don't get burned!
3. Stir in the basmati rice, making sure that the grains are coated with the oil and spices. 
4. Add water, dried fruits, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to make sure that all of the rice is covered by the water. Cover the pot tightly and bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, around 18 minutes. 
6. Turn of the heat and let the rice sit with the lid on for another 10 minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaf, fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in parsley, and the toasted almonds or pine nuts, if using.