PAELLA RECIPE

Paella is one of the dishes that has been around for quite sometime now. it has been handed from one generation to another and I want to share the paella recipe that our family proudly created. This dish is the most imporatnt dish in our family. So, let's start cooking. Here are the ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 onion, finely chopped
•4 or 5 large cloves garlic, minced
•1 tablespoon finely minced gingerroot
•1 teaspoon ground annatto (achiote)
•1 cup long-grain rice
•3 ounces cured chorizo, diced
•2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
•2 cups chicken or fish stock
•1 tablespoon fish sauce
•Several good grinds of black pepper
•1/2 to 3/4 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
•1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
•Pimiento-stuffed olives
•sliced hard-boiled egg, for garnish (optional)

THE COOKING PROCEDURE:

•Heat the oil in a medium, heavy saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic, and gingerroot over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion wilts and the mixture becomes aromatic.•Stir in the annatto and mix well, then add the rice and the diced chorizo and cook, stirring, for a few minutes.

•Add the tomatoes, stock, fish sauce, and black pepper. Mix well, bring to a simmer; then cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

•Stir in the shrimp and the peas, then cover and continue to cook over low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the shrimp have turned pink, about 5 to 10 minutes.Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Spoon the paella into a serving dish or platter and garnish with the olives and hard-boiled egg, if desired.