Recipe: Paella with Chorizo, Tiger Prawns and Crispy Bacon

It's World Paella Day on 20 September! If you love paella and have always wanted to try making it at home, do give this easy recipe a try.

Paella is a rice dish originating from Valencia in Spain. It is most commonly eaten on Sundays or during lunchtime. For me, it's THE must-order dish whenever we visit a Spanish restaurant, other than the tapas. Vibrant and full of flavour, what's not to love?

Since I posted our recipe video on YouTube, I have been receiving requests to post the recipe on my blog too, so here it is!

Paella is usually made in a paellera, aka paella pan, however, if you do not own one of this, you don't have to rush out to get one. Instead, you can use a flat-based wok, which I believe most Asians would have in their kitchen.

If you can get Spanish bomba rice, that would be the best for this dish, however if you can't, a good substitute would be arborio (which we use for making risotto) or Japanese sushi rice. For our paella, we added chorizo sausage, tiger prawns and crispy bacon - man, it was so flavorful and delicious! It was ssurprisingly easy to make too - if you've made risotto before, the process is pretty similar to that. 

Enjoy this recipe video we made for our YouTube channel too!

Paella with Chorizo, Tiger Prawns and Crispy Bacon

Recipe by Baby Sumo, inspired by Gordon Ramsay

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
200g chorizo sausage, sliced
150g streaky bacon, sliced

8 tiger prawns, trimmed

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 mini sweet peppers, cubed

1 large red chilli, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp paprika powder

250g arborio rice

900ml chicken stock

1/4 tsp saffron strands, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon and set aside.

2. Add onion, garlic and peppers and saute for 2 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add chorizo sausage, paprika and red chilli and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add rice and stir for 2-3 minutes, until rice is coated in oil. Then, pour in chicken stock, saffron and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until rice is tender. If the paella gets too dry before it's ready, you can add in extra water, about 100ml at a time. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper as necessary.

4. Once the rice is tender and 85% of the stock has been absorbed, stir in the peas. Then, arrange the tiger prawns over the top of the paella, cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until prawns are cooked.

5. Sprinkle the crispy bacon over the paella and enjoy!

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Marta's Kitchen in KL: Paella and Tapas

With its warm service and fantastic Spanish food, it's no wonder that Marta's Kitchen is one of the standout Spanish restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. Since its inception 3 1/2 years ago, Marta's Kitchen has moved to bigger premises - a testament to their success. Their current restaurant, located in The Signature Hotel in Hartamas, is spacious, well-lit with lots of natural light, welcoming and modern.

The menu features a varied selection of the quintessential Spanish food, tapas, as well as paella, cold cut and cheese platters, salads, beef, Iberico ribs, desserts and churros. Enjoy your meal with a refreshing glass of sangria - made with red or white wine or Cava.

There are over 25 types of tapas to choose from, with classics like gambas al ajillo, croquetas, tortilla de patatas and much more. BabySumoKids even got a history lesson about tapas, from Marta herself - the world "tapas" means "to cover" in Spanish, and it was believed that in the past, small plates of food was offered to guests while they were drinking, and the plates also doubled up as a cover for their glasses between sips to prevent flies from hovering over their drinks. Somewhere in the middle of our meal, Baby D attempted to cover his glass with a side plate after listening to that story - not that there were any flies, but he wanted to pretend he was dining in Spain. Funny boy!


The tapas here sure tastes homely, we especially loved the Gambas Al Ajillo (RM27), large juicy prawns with olive oil, garlic and chilli. Simple and good - and they serve really good homemade ciabatta here, great for soaking up all the gorgeous garlicky oil.

Hubby loved the Patatas bravas (RM18), deep fried potatoes served with a spicy tomato sauce and creamy aioli. Marta tells us that everything in her kitchen is made from scratch and it certainly shows in all her delicious sauces.

We also tried the Tortilla de Patatas (RM21), a lovely Spanish omelette with potatoes and onion as well as the Calamares a la romana (RM23) since both the kids love deep fried squid. Another exceptional tapas here is the Croquetas de jamon (RM20) - beautifully crisp with a creamy bechamel centre. So good!

What's a Spanish meal without some paella as well - we tried the Squid ink paella, which came with seafood such as squid and prawns. Baby D couldn't resist trying some too, getting his teeth all black and showing it off to us :P

Though pasta is not exactly Spanish, Marta gets a lot of Japanese customers who absolutely adores it, namely the Tomato & Cheese spaghetti (RM20), with a rich, intense tomato sauce topped with generous shavings of Manchego cheese.

The Pulled Iberico Pork Sliders (RM24) were inspired by her recent visit to London's renowned Borough Market. The pork has been slow cooked for hours, absorbing all the lovely flavours. Perfect size for kids too!

One of the highlights of our meal here were the Iberico pork ribs (RM85 for half rack), which is marinated in their homemade BBQ sauce, cooked sous vide for 14 hours and then finished in the oven to juicy perfection. Loved the marinade and how tender and richly flavoured the pork meat was.. so good!

Mention churros in Malaysia and you would probably be told to go to Marta's Kitchen as she does some of the best ones in town. It's definitely no exaggeration - they're beautifully crisp yet soft on the inside, complemented wonderfully by the thick chocolate sauce. Also nice dipped in coffee.  Loved the cute dinosaur coffee art on the cortado.

Marta joked that she's probably one of the last to get on-board the burnt cheesecake trend in KL. For her Basque cheesecake (RM17 per slice), she makes it using the recipe from the legendary La Vina from San Sebastian. Soft, rich, creamy - we loved it!

Reservations highly recommended, book your tables online here:

Click here for the food and drinks menu.

Opening hours: 11.30am to 11.30pm daily.

Location: Marta's Kitchen , The Signature, 3, Jalan Sri Hartamas 22, Desa Sri Hartamas.Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Parking RM5 for 3 hours for customers).

Tel: 03-6411 0832

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La Bodega Tapas y Vinos, Pavilion KL [PORK-FREE]

La Bodega has been bringing a taste of Spain to KL-ites since its inception in 1999. Known as Kuala Lumpur’s first authentic Spanish Tapas & Wine Bar, the menu features a delicious variety of traditional and contemporary tapas and other Spanish delights alongside an extensive selection of exclusive wines handpicked from the wineries of Spain, France, Argentina and Chile.

Spanish food is definitely made for sharing, so come with a group of friends and order a feast! Start with a jug of sangria, and complement it with the Plato de Entremeses (RM56), which showcases a fantastic range of imported cold cuts such as cecina, turkey ham, duck ham and turkey chorizo along with mixed olives, piparras, Spanish potato salad and Manchego cheese, served with membrillo, water crackers and pan con tomate. A superb sharing platter - well-put together and very enjoyable indeed. 

Tiojito (RM27) and La Bodega's Red Sangria (RM24)

The Trio de Pates (RM30) is another great appetizer for sharing, with black olive, tomato and chicken liver pate. I particularly liked the combination of chicken and tomato pate on the lightly toasted French bread. 

La Bodega offers over 30 types of tapas, with classics such as Gambas Al Ajillo, Tortilla Espanola, and Croquetas con Trufa. My personal favorite was the Gambas Al Ajillo (RM47), with incredibly large and fresh tiger prawns, sauteed in garlic, olive oil and chilli. Loved dipping the bread into the garlicky oil - so delicious!

Tortilla Espanola (RM17) - traditional Spanish omelette with potatoes and onions.

Croquetas con Trufa (RM37) - truffle and mushroom croquettes with lemon aioli and pesto.

I also enjoyed the Champinones Al Ajillo (RM19), button mushrooms sauteed in a velvety, buttery sauce with garlic and parsley. 

For meat lovers, try the Solomillo Al Quaso Azul (RM46), grilled beef tenderloin with Spanish blue cheese sauce or the Albondigas Sant Climent (RM27), juicy lamb meatballs in a rich brandy sauce. 

Paella is a must-have when you visit a Spanish restaurant. Served in a traditional paella pan, there are 4 versions here to choose from. The Arroz Negro con Calamares y Gambas con Aioli (RM40 for 1 pax) was recommended to us - Spanish rice is cooked with squid ink, saffron, squid and tiger prawns. 

Did you know that La Bodega serves breakfast too? The Pavilion outlet opens daily from 8am onwards. You can get Big breakfast, omelettes, egg benedict and more, served until 3pm daily. New on the menu is the Smashed avocado on sourdough (RM14) with crumbled feta, for those who want a healthy, wholesome start to their day. You can also opt to add-on smoked salmon and fried egg. 

For something a little more Spanish, go for the Migas (RM25), a traditional Spanish breakfast comprising of turkey and chicken chorizo, beef bacon, croutons, garlic and olive oil with two poached eggs. 

For a sweet end to your meal, enjoy the classic dessert, Crema Catalana (RM22), smooth, creamy custard with a hint of orange or the Turron de Jijona y Dulce de Membrillo (RM24), almond nougat with quince paste and vanilla ice cream.

You can find La Bodega in the following malls - Pavilion KL, Bangsar Shopping Centre and Empire Shopping Gallery. Book a table here: 

Pork-free.

Opening hours: 8am to 2am.

Location: La Bodega, Lot C3.06.00 Level 3, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2148 8018

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El Toro Loco Tapas Bar, Fraser Place, KL

Every now and again, we dine in a new restaurant and the food totally blows us away. Located in Fraser Place Kuala Lumpur, El Toro Loco, which opened its doors in January this year, is one of the newest tapas bars in KL and the food here sure is impressive.

Helmed by Chef Pau who hails from Barcelona, this cosy eatery showcases authentic tapas and Spanish cuisine. El Toro Loco is testament that you don't need fancy plating nor flowers for a good dining experience; just honest, real and delicious food is all you need. The key ingredients such as Jamon Iberico, cheeses and piparra (pickled green chilli) are imported from Spain to provide diners with the most authentic experience.

On the menu, you will find pinchos, a small snack traditionally eaten in northern Spain in bars and taverns. They are usually served on a slice of bread and is spiked with a skewer (in Spain, the skewers are used to keep track of how many items the customer has eaten, and the restaurant / bar counts the number of skewers at the end and you pay based on that).

To start, we had the De Txaka (RM15), Spanish crab salad with piquillo pepper and piparra. A well-balanced bite, with a light crab salad on a pillowy soft, yet crusty baguette.

The De Champinon Iberico (RM24) was one of the best things I ate here - grilled confit button mushroom sits atop lightly toasted German sourdough bread with a slice of the finest Jamon Iberico. Loved the presentation and how this small bite was bursting with big flavours. Simply phenomenal.

Sangria (RM26) - perfectly fruity and easy to drink

Tapas, or small plates, are also a highlight here at El Toro Loco. We loved the Croquetas de Jamon (RM15), ham croquettes filled with creamy bechamel and Jamon Serrano. Light as air, with a beautiful crisp exterior.

Gambas Al Ajillo (RM33), from the south of Spain is beautifully done here, with large, plump prawns cooked in olive oil, garlic and chili. That garlicky oil is so simple yet so good... I'd love more bread to soak it all up!

I have found the perfect Tortilla de patatas (RM18)! Here, the whole traditional potato omelette, is prepared a la minute so the centre was slightly creamy. Served with pan con tomate, a delicious toasted bread made with the simplest of ingredients - juicy tomatoes and olive oil on bread. Highly recommended!

The Peruvian classic, ceviche is served with a Spanish twist, a cold refreshing gazpacho. Ideal for the hot Malaysian weather, the gazpacho is made from tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onions and olive oil and complements the grouper ceviche beautifully. A wonderfully appetizing and vibrant dish.

Ceviche Agazpachado (RM22)

Of course you can't go to Spanish restaurant and not have the paella (RM29). A great paella, according to Chef Pau, must be dry and has that crusty soccarat at the bottom. Cooked in a rich fish stock, the rice has absorbed all the delicious flavours and is topped with fresh seafood such as squid, mussels, clams and prawns.

If you have room for one more dish, make it the Rabo de toro estofado (RM29), a comforting oxtail stew just brimming with flavour. What surprised me most was that the oxtail is simply cooked with only water, vegetables, bay leaf and thyme for 6 hours in the oven, and produced the most amazing, richly flavoured stew. The oxtail is tender and falling off the bone. Yum.

A sampling of their cheese offerings - queso manchego (sheep), queso de cabara (goat) and queso mezcla (cow/sheep) (RM32 for 80g), served with membrillo (quince paste).

For desserts, the traditional Catalan creme brulee, Crema Catalana (RM19) was my favorite with its smooth, creamy texture. Also fantastic are the light and fluffy Mousse de Chocolate (RM20) with chocolate cookie, fried corn and raspberry centre, Flan De Nata (traditional Spanish creme caramel - RM19) and Tarta de queso Asturiana (traditional cheese cafe from north of Spain - RM20).

El Toro Loco Menu

For the drinks and food menu, please click here.

Click here to reserve your tables:

Opening times: 12pm - 12am daily.

Location: El Toro Loco, Fraser Place, Lot 163, 10 Jalan Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Parking: 1st hour RM4, every subsequent hour RM3).

Tel: 03-2181 7388

Website: https://www.facebook.com/etl.kl/




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