Paella

08 PDT

From: therese

garnet.berkeley.edu

An adaptation from a recipe in Aug. 92 Vegetarian Times

Paella Vegetariana

6- 8 oz flavored tofu or tofu sausage

(I used reduced-fat savory baked tofu, I don't remember the brand)

2 cups black beans, cooked (mix drained beans with juice of one lemon and set aside)

2-3 Tbs minced garlic

1 red pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp crushed saffron threads

2 cups uncooked long grain brown rice

3 1/2 cups boiling water

2 bay leaves

1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

Cherry tomatoes, quartered, for garnish

Chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Vegetable stock for saute-ing

Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Heat 1-2 Tbs of veggie broth in a pot. Add garlic and saute for about one minute, then add diced pepper and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Set aside.

Heat 1-2 Tbs of veggie broth in a largish pot. Add remaining garlic and onion and carrot. Saute for 2 minutes. Add paprika, fennel, cumin, salt,

pepper, cayenne if desired, and saffron. Stir for 30 seconds, then add

rice, boiling water, bay leaves, and tofu. Stir well and cover pot. Cook

for 40-45 minutes over low heat until water has been absorved and rice is

cooked. Add black beans, sauteed peppers, peas and corn to top of rice,

replace lid, and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff mixture with

a fork. Discard bay leaves. Serve garnished with cherry tomatoes and parsley or cilantro. Note: You may need to add more veggie broth to keep vegetables from

sticking during sauteeing. I didn't measure, so am not sure of the

amounts here. This dish tastes amazingly rich considering it is so

low in fat, and is really colorful with all of those yummy veggies. My

husband didn't like it because he dislikes fennel, so you can omit it

if you don't like it either!