Tohutao: Kai Moana Paella

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Serves 6
Recipe Time:  1 hour
Difficulty: Medium

• 300g Green-Lipped Mussels
• 300g Tarakihi Fillets - deboned, skin removed and cut into 3cmx3cm pieces.
• 150g Prawns - shelled and deveined (A couple of koura tails are awesome if you have any)
• 2½ cups Spanish or Short Grain Rice
• 1.5L Fish Stock      
• 1 Large Onion
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• ½ cup Frozen Peas
• 1 Bunch of Parsley
• 2 tsp Dried Horopito
• 6 Saffron Strands
• 1 Tbsp Pirirpiri Chilli Paste
• 2 Lemons - zest and juice
• Cooking Oil
• Salt, to taste

1. De-bone and remove skin from the tarakihi fillets then cut into 3x3cm pieces.
2. Heat a large frying pan with a thick base on a high heat. When the pan is very hot, add oil and brown the tarakihi on each side each side, then remove and set aside. Leave the pan on the heat.
3. Add the small diced onion and fry until onions are soft and lightly caramelized, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the peeled and thinly sliced garlic and piripiri paste then cook until the garlic becomes soft and translucent.
4. Add the rice to the onions and garlic. Cook for a 2 minutes at a medium heat, stirring constantly to toast the grains.
5. Add the horopito, paprika and saffron. Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Add half of the fish stock and bring to the boil, always stirring to ensure the rice doesn’t catch to the bottom. When the rice has almost absorbed all of the liquid add the remaining fish stock lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the green-lipped mussels, prawns (or a couple of koura tails are awesome if you have any), tarakihi and peas to the pan. Cover with a lid or tin foil and turn the heat down low. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mussels have opened.
7. Remove lid and finish the paella with herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice and season with salt.

Serving Suggestion: I love spicy food. I like to put a good amount of Kaitaia Fire piripiri hot sauce on my paella - it’s got a great hot and tangy kick.