It is widely known that saffron is a major ingredient in preparing Spanish paella. People often say that saffron is more expensive than gold.
In the Philippines, the ingredient needs to be bought in specialty stores and is not widely available in groceries. Usually, one finds powdered paella flavoring by the packet. I’ve tried using the premix once and did not exactly like the taste. So this time around, I decided not to pursue that route.
Thus, I wondered if it was possible to cook paella using ordinary ingredients, without the elusive and expensive saffron. In my research, I discovered that the Philippines offers a saffron look-alike used to color dishes. They are both different species.
Kasubha (sometimes spelled Casubha) or dried safflower is a local ingredient used to give dishes, such as arroz caldo, a yellow color. Some cooks have also used kasubha as a substitute for saffron and it is supposedly milder in flavor.
However, further reading led me to turmeric that was recommended as one of the best substitutes for saffron. It just so happened that I had fresh turmeric in my pantry. So I decided to head to the grocery and get more ingredients. Eventually, I discovered that even Martha Stewart has used turmeric in making paella.
Seasoning
The challenge was to use readily available ingredients such as the seasoning mixes from McCormick Philippines.
To start, I had five available McCormick seasoning ingredients in my pantry, namely: Spanish paprika, black pepper, Italian seasoning, rosemary, and salt.
Surprisingly, McCormick’s “Short Cut Paella Recipe” on its website actually recommended using Italian Seasoning. This idea didn’t sit well with me because using Italian herbs to flavor a Spanish dish did not sound right.
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/main-dishes/short-cut-paella
In my kitchen, I used Spanish paprika, black pepper, and salt only. I did not use Italian seasoning and rosemary. Actually, I had fresh rosemary in my garden that I could cut anytime but I did not succumb to the temptation of over flavoring the dish.
Authentic Spanish paella uses the pimenton spice that in English translates to smoked paprika (differs from plain paprika). So when I saw McCormick's Spanish paprika, I assumed that it probably came close to the Spanish pimenton. After tasting my cooked dish, I think my deduction was correct.
Paella pan
I used a wide fry pan instead of a paellera. However, I think there are advantages to using the paellera. It is easier to cook a bigger batch of rice. Keeping the mixture at a shallow level allows for more even cooking. If you watch Spanish cooks, you will see that once the ingredients are in place, they don’t mix the rice anymore until it is cooked. Thus, it is important to have a pan that distributes heat evenly.
I watched one of the episodes where Gordon Ramsay cooked paella at a woman’s home. It appeared that the woman was mixing the rice like a risotto. I think Spanish cooks will not agree with this cooking technique.
Ingredients
I first learned how to cook basic paella from Chef Quimson during a demo. He made it look so easy and simple. Chef Quimson, who passed away years ago, also used to sell his gourmet products at the Saturday Salcedo Market in Makati, Philippines. From what I know, his ancestry is Spanish-Filipino so perhaps I listened to the right guy.
These are the basic ingredients plus rice. Spanish paella uses a special kind of rice that is not readily available in Philippine groceries. For this experiment, we used an ordinary rice grain. If you can get a grain that holds more broth and flavor, that would be good as well.
You can just cut up a whole spring chicken or use choice cuts like thigh pieces. Also try to get the best chorizo de Bilbao that you can find as they add to the overall flavor (some Spanish cooks use pork pieces and not chorizo).
Green beans are easy to obtain in the Philippines. You will need a handful of fresh turmeric. Then prepare a head of garlic diced, half cup white onions diced, half cup red bell pepper diced, half cup green bell pepper diced, and one cup tomato diced, plus lots of olive oil (if possible), and you are ready.
Homemade chicken broth is ideal if you can make it from scratch.
Procedure
Start the pan on medium heat. Brown chicken pieces and season with salt, black pepper, and Spanish paprika.
You may also add the freshly peeled turmeric at this point to color the oil that will permeate the dish. If you want less intense color, you can just add the turmeric when adding the broth. Others use powdered turmeric that has a more intense flavor. I like using fresh turmeric because it is very fragrant and is all-natural.
When the chicken has been browned, set aside. Cook the chorizo and green beans.
Start sautéing the onion and garlic. Then add the red bell peppers and wait for it to sweat. Add the green bell peppers before incorporating the tomatoes. Take your time until the veggies are somewhat caramelized before adding the chicken broth.
At this point, keep the pan on low heat and add one or two cups of rice depending on the size of the pan. Keep in mind that you still need to add a lot of broth to cook the rice.
While the rice is simmering, you can arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice until it is cooked. As said earlier, once the ingredients have been mixed, Spanish cooks do not touch the rice until cooked.
When the broth is added, you can also start flavoring the dish with Spanish paprika, black pepper, and salt. Taste the broth so you get the right flavors.
Cook the dish for at least 45 minutes and make sure that there is enough broth so the rice will expand to its proper size.
Let the pan rest before tasting the dish. And enjoy!
