Quinoa paella with prawns

11 March, 2016
Serves 4-6 People

A Valencian chef once observed that ‘paella has as many recipes as there are villages, and nearly as many as there are cooks.”  I am sure that paella purists would be shocked that a dish based on quinoa could be called paella, but this recipe, adapted from FatFreeVegan.com, may even impress a few Spaniards!

Quinoa paella with prawns

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons
    Coconut oil
  • 1
    Onion, finely chopped
  • 3
    Cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 250 Grams
    Large prawns (fresh or frozen)
  • 170 Grams
    Quinoa
  • 1/4 Teaspoon
    Saffron (crushed) or turmeric
  • 2 Teaspoons
    Paprika
  • 1/2 Teaspoon
    Ground cumin
  • 1 Pinch
    Cayenne pepper
  • 400 Grams
    Can of chopped tomatoes
  • 400 Grams
    Can of cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1
    Red pepper (capsicum), diced
  • 700 Millilitres
    Vegetable or fish stock
  • 2
    Courgettes (zucchini), halved lengthways and sliced
  • 100 Grams
    Frozen peas
  • 6
    Fresh artichoke hearts, cut into quarters

Instructions

  1. Gently heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan and saute the onion and garlic, until soft.

  2. Add the prawns, quinoa and saffron (or turmeric) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

  3. Add the paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, kidney beans, red pepper and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

  4. Check to see if more stock is needed (if it looks dry), then stir in the peas and place the courgette (zucchini) on top of the quinoa and re-cover, cooking for a further 5 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed (it should still be al dente and not soggy).

  5. Arrange the artichoke hearts on top and serve.

Nutrition: Artichokes contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and magnesium. They are a good source of dietary fibre and support digestive function, as well as the liver.

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