Inspired by Paprika

Potty Paprika Paella

Breaking the separation between dream and reality this Paprika spiced dish is a great blend of flavour and spice.

Servings:

2

Ready In:

1 hour 15 mins

Good For:

Dinner

Paprika is a 2006 Japanese science-fiction psychological thriller anime film co-written and directed by Satoshi Kon, based on Yasutaka Tsutsui’s 1993 novel of the same name.

In this Japanese anime epic, humanity’s last bastion of privacy has finally been infiltrated by technology, the world of our dreams. The story centers on a new invention called the DC-Mini. With this revolutionary device, psychiatrists are now able to enter a patient’s dreams in a therapeutic setting. But when an unknown assailant steals all of the devices, using them to enter peoples minds enacting mind control, chaos ensues as dreams begin to bleed into reality, and the thin line between the conscious and the unconscious begins to blur. Enter a young female researcher named Chiba, who takes it upon herself to delve into the newly anarchic dream world in order to set things straight. In this surreal realm her name is Paprika, and she’s out to save the world. Bursting with fantastic imagery and breathtakingly innovative animation.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Oil
2 Chicken Breasts (chopped into bitesize chunks)
0.5 Chorizo Sausage (sliced into thin slices)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Garlic Cloves (finely chopped)
1 Red Bell peppers (seeds removed, sliced)
1 Red Chillies (seeds removed, chopped)
2 tsp Paprika
500ml Chicken Stock
150g Paella Rice
12 Mussels (cleaned, open and shells discarded)
1 tbsp Parsley (chopped)

Obviously I wanted to use Paprika as the main ingredient in this meal, so I made a dish that is spicier than I usually enjoy. The meal is very meaty, it includes chicken, chorizo and mussels which combine into a brilliant mixture of Spanish flavours.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the chicken until the pieces are evenly browned, turning them regularly as they cook. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Step 2

Fry the slices of chorizo in the pan until crisp. They will release their juices into the pan, which adds a lot of flavour to the dish. Add the onion to the pan, and cook gently until soft, then add the garlic and fry for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the red peppers, chillies and paprika, and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and pour in the stock. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Step 3

Add the rice to the pan, cover with the lid and put into the preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Alternatively, if using a pan which won’t fit in the oven, cover tightly with foil and continue cooking on the stove over a low heat for the same cooking time. Add the mussels to the pan for the final 20 minutes cooking time.

Step 4

Check the chicken is cooked by piercing the thickest part of a piece with a skewer – if the juices run clear the chicken is cooked. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.