Saffron chicken and seafood paella
A one-pan Spanish paella of chicken, king prawns, tomato and peppers, coloured gold by saffron — festive enough for a solstice gathering and good for getting the blood moving.
- 50 min
- Serves 3
- One-pan
- Medium
Why it suits you: Circulation slows for blood-stasis types in winter, bringing icy hands and feet and a dull complexion. Saffron moves blood, clears stasis and lifts the mood, onion and peppers warm and move qi, and tomato aids digestion. Cooked in one pan with chicken and prawns, this colourful dish suits a solstice get-together.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min- 1Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp warm stock for 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into pieces and toss with salt and paprika. Dice the tomatoes and slice the onion and pepper.
- 2Heat the olive oil in a wide non-stick pan and brown the chicken over medium heat. Set aside.
- 3In the same pan, fry the onion, crushed garlic and pepper until soft, then add the tomatoes and cook until they break down.
- 4Stir in the rice, pour in the stock and saffron water and return the chicken. Don't stir again; simmer over low heat for 18 minutes.
- 5Lay the prawns on top, cover and cook for 5 minutes until pink and lightly crusted underneath. Serve straight from the pan.
Cautions
- Avoid saffron in pregnancy, and use less with heavy periods.
- If prawns don't agree with you, simply use more chicken.
Chef's tips
- Don't stir once the stock goes in so a crisp crust forms underneath; soaking saffron in warm stock brings out its colour and aroma.
The TCM view
Saffron is sweet and neutral, moving blood, clearing stasis, cooling the blood and easing low mood; onion is pungent, sweet and warm, moving qi and blood; prawns are sweet and warm, supporting the kidneys and yang; chicken is sweet and warm, warming the middle and supporting qi; tomato is sweet, sour and slightly cold, aiding digestion. Warming and blood-moving overall, it suits blood-stasis types at the Winter Solstice.
