← Nouns Cooking · Brazilian & Peruvian

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Red onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp Ají panca paste
• 2 tbsp Ají amarillo paste
• 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 300 g long-grain white rice
• 100 ml dry white wine (optional)
• 800 ml hot fish or seafood stock
• 500 g Mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 250 g Squid, cleaned and cut into rings
• 300 g raw peeled prawns
• 100 g frozen peas
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 2 Lime, 1 juiced, 1 in wedges
• 2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated (optional)
• Salt

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide, deep pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 min until soft, then add the garlic and pepper for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in both ají pastes and the tomato paste and fry for 3 minutes, stirring, until the mix darkens and smells toasty.
3. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat every grain. Pour in the wine, if using, and let it bubble away, then add the hot stock and a pinch of salt.
4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 12 min, until most of the liquid is absorbed but the rice is still a little wet.
5. Push the mussels into the rice, scatter over the squid, prawns and peas, cover again and cook for 5–6 min, until the mussels open and the prawns turn pink. Throw away any mussels that stay shut.
6. Stir in the lime juice, most of the coriander and the parmesan, if using. It should be loose and saucy, so add a splash of hot stock if needed. Serve with lime wedges and the rest of the coriander.

Tips

• Many Lima cooks stir in a spoonful of parmesan at the end; leave it out to keep the dish dairy-free.
• Contains shellfish and molluscs; a bag of frozen mixed seafood, thawed, works well.
• Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate within 1 hour and eat within a day, reheating until piping hot.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Eat Peru Peru Delights