I must share this little story with you so you can understand the recipe. Arroz meloso means a creamy rice which is a cross between a rice cooked normally and a soupy rice. My daughter just loves the way my dear friend Adela cooks her spanish style rice (be it a paella, a soupy rice or a creamy rice) my daughter just loves it. I kept on wondering what i do wrong that she never seems to appreciate my rice as much as she does Adela´s. Well the other day i went to the market to buy some fresh fish and came across some lovely cubes of swordfish and some calamari rings. I bought them and then thought of making this spanish style rice for my kids. I recall the way Adela makes her rice and decided to do EXACTLY the same! I tell you my kids ate the whole pot which was enough for an army! I now realise what made this recipe so delicious: a good sprinkle of spanish paprika and a few strands of saffron. I did not even use any food coloring for this rice. Now enough of a story and lets get down to basics “the recipe”!!
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 HUNGRY:
500 grams of cubed fish
250 grams of calamari rings, cut up
2 red tomatoes grated
1 whole pod of garlic peeled and chopped ( i used my GARLIC PRO)
3 fish stock cubes (this is what i used)
2 cups of long grain rice (not basmati, or jasmin or any fragrant rice)
salt to taste if needed
1/2 teaspoon of spanish paprika powder
8 strands of Nitu Didi Pure Spanish Saffron
4 tablespoons of a good spanish olive oil
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a pan and then add half the chopped garlic and when it starts changing colour add the fish pieces and cook on high heat till the fish starts getting a bit brown. Then add the calamari and cook for five minutes and then add the rest of the garlic.  Add the grated tomato and cook till the tomatoes are done. Then add the paprika and the saffron. Add the rice and give it a stir for a few minutes. Add 3.5 cups of water and the fish stock cubes and when it comes to a boil taste and correct seasoning by adding some salt if necessary. Cook till rice is done (20 minutes approximately) , adding a little more water if necessary. The rice should be a little creamy and that is achieved by adding a little extra water. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
NITU DIDI TIP.
If you cannot get calamari you can also add prawns instead. Add the prawns when the rice is half cooked .
Want to win some saffron??
Do enter my saffron giveaway!!! HERE

Nitu Chugani