Just a few days ago we celebrated Bob’s birthday. As a tradition in our household we would ask the celebrant what would they want to eat for dinner. Bob told me that he will think for a few minutes, then he remembered the recipe he really likes that we saw on MKR (My Kitchen Rules Australia) show. Well, he then decided that he wants paella, we saw one of the contestant there cooked seafood paella. I had to make other food too because some of my kids would not eat seafood.
Bob, asked me if I think it would be easy to make paella. The recipe in the MKR was a little bit complicated. So I told him I will look it up in the internet for the recipe and let him know. I then told my daughter Jean and my niece Glenda that it’s Paella and popcorn shrimp for dinner. Jean is not really into seafood that much too. But since Dad wants that menu she’s happy to help me out.
I found a few good seafood paella recipe in the internet. I cooked the one that I know the chef. Good thing most of his ingredients I can find it locally. Few ingredients that I was lucking was the saffron and the Spanish rice. I’ve seen saffron on some stores here but they don’t have this time. My niece went all over the place and can’t find it. Maybe the “No shipment” and “The no stocks” is here again for sure. For the rice I just substitute with Japanese rice. It works out good too. For the clams I used mussels instead, since that’s what Bob preferred. Since it’s hard to get lobster in the market, plus its a bit expensive, I just put more of the prawns then. The calls for Spanish chorizo and it really adds flavors. I marinate the chicken with the spices the chef recommended, but he marinated his chicken for an hour. I marinated my chicken with the spices for half a day. The flavor were really good. At the end, I followed what he said to turn up the heat for 40 seconds to give toasted rice bottom, its called socarrat (dukot in Bisaya). You can really find good paella recipe that your family will enjoy and that will also suits your budget. If some of the ingredients were expensive, find some local substitute from your local grocery stores.
With the other recipe the popcorn shrimp. I made the batter from scratch. I even made my own heavy cream. Thank goodness for the google. Both recipe I tweak to suit more to our own taste. I think it works really good for us. Bob and us in the house seems to like it and so did our friend Bebe.
Talking about the popcorn shrimp. It’s rally a simple recipe too. I made some of the spices and save the rest for the next time uses. The popcorn shrimp on the other hand, we had to used small shrimp. The downside to it, the cleaning and deveining of the shrimp was a bit of work (we had to devein prawns for paella and shrimp for popcorn shrimp. But at the end its all worth it though. Everyone that likes seafood in our house loves it. I made some ingredients out from substitution. I saw heavy cream in the store. It not worth the money for me because I just need 2 tablespoon.
If ever you want the recipes of the paella and the popcorn shrimp that we made, Just let me know, I’m happy to email them to you.
Good eating you guys!
Creative cooking. Due to lack of certain ingredients, we must use the creative cooking here.
We do it all the time here in the boonies.
I can almost taste that (great) paella…!!!
Hi Palawan Bob – That’s for sure. Have fun on your cooking too.
Good luck!
Hi Feyma,
Your recipe looked good. The dish is actually not difficult to prepare and changes don’t effect it much. I hope Nob had a pleasant birthday. I send him a belated Happy Birthday greeting. God bless.
Scott…
Thank you so much Scott.
Have a great day!
Hi Feyma
Turmeric is always a good substitute for Safron but, come to think of it, I don’t know whether that is available either!
You’ve given me a good idea for a meal for my in-laws when I’m next in Davao though!!
Regards
Alan James
Hi Alan – I will try that next time maybe. To be honest the one that I cooked without saffron was already pretty good though. I’m not really into turmeric. But I will try my paella next time.
*** You’ve given me a good idea for a meal for my in-laws when I’m next in Davao though!! *** —— Good idea. Good luck.
Good to see you here again. Have a wonderful day!
Find an Indian store to get the saffron. A little goes a long way and is a key ingredient, along with the chorizo.
Hi Don – I’ll do that next time. We do have Indian grocery store near our house too. But honestly though our paella was good already without the saffron though. So I’m not too worried on that.
Thank you for the comment. Always good seeing you her and sharing your thoughts.
Have a pleasant day!
Since you live in the boonies and like to eat. I build a smoker for chicken, pork and fish which works very weel. If you like, I send you some pictures. My wife is operating this drum under Smoked Cowboy Chicken in Earth street, Davao city. If you like you can see the smoker in operation there.
I’m a naval architect and marine engineer working in Riyadh, Saudi at the moment. I will be back in the Philippines for a vacation in summer.
Hi Rudolf – A bonnies? Nah. I don’t consider Davao city or other big cities here in the Philippines a boonies. Just my opinion though.
Are you selling cook chicken from your smoker? Or is it just for personal use only? Or are you selling smoker drum that you made to the public? I might see your operation one of this day there.
Thank you for sharing and your comment. Have a good day!
Hello Feyma :
No doubt the Puella looks very tasty.
Many many happy returns to Bob.
Hi Malm – Thank you so much…
Have a great day!
ebang ka
sounds like a delicious dish!