This is a quick cheats version of paella that will serve 2 for dinner or 4 for a smaller lunch serving, preferably with a salad.

Ingredients

1 cup of long grain rice like basmati

3 cups of water

Salt and pepper

1 dessertspoon of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon of dried chilli powder or 1 fresh chilli diced finely

1 teaspoon paprika

2 spring onions (finely chopped)

1 onion (diced)

1 capsicum (finely chopped)

1 cup of sliced chorizo

Method

Bring the water to boil with a pinch of salt. Rince the rice under the tap until it runs clear, then when the water is boiling add the rice and give it a quick stir to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the turmeric, paprika and the chilli (if using powder). Simmer for around 8 minutes, the rice should still have a little bite to it.

Meanwhile slice the chorizo on an angle to around 1/2 cm thick. Gently cook in a frying pan, you don’t need any oil as the chorizo will release oil while cooking.

While the Chorizo is cooking, drain the rice, put it back into the saucepan with the lid on. The steam inside the pan will finish it off nicely and get the rice ready for the frying pan.

Remove the chorizo from pan, but leave the smoking oil left from the frying. Now add the onion to the chorizo pan, fry off quickly and then add the capsicum and chilli (if using fresh). Add the rice and stir the spring onion. Check for seasoning. Once mixed through dot the chorizo around the pan and serve straight to the table.