Vegan paella

If you think paella is complicated to prepare, think again! This Spanish dish is very affordable and aromatic, and you can adapt it to your taste and season. It traditionally contains (brown) rice, saffron, broth, spices, and meat or seafood. However, I made a vegan version, and instead of foods of animal origin, I added cherry tomatoes, peppers, and finally – a handful of rocket salad. Look for the recipe below.

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
½ tsp saffron
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup red pepper, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, mashed
2 tsp sweet pepper
2 tsp salt
2 cups brown rice
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cup rocket salad

Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, mix lemon juice and saffron. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil at moderate temperature in a large pan, add onion, peppers, and garlic, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until vegetables soften. Add sweet pepper and salt, and stir.
3. After that, add brown rice into the pan and simmer for about 2 minutes, then pour the vegetable broth, lemon juice, and saffron mix.
4. When brown rice boils, lower the temperature to the lowest, cover with a lid and leave to cook for the next 20 minutes, or until liquid evaporates.
5. When the brown rice is cooked, add cherry tomatoes, and stir. Cover with a lid for 2 minutes, so cherry tomatoes heat up.
6. Serve with rocket salad, and enjoy.