Black Lime Chicken Machboos Paella (Emirati x Spanish)

Method

1. Toss the chicken with half the bezar and the salt for this step and leave it while you prep. Warm the stock in a small pot until steaming and keep it hot. Chop the vegetables, grate the tomatoes (discard the skins) and pierce each loomi 2 or 3 times with a knife tip.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs, in 4 cm pieces 300 gBezar (Emirati spice mix) or baharat ¾ tspSalt ¼ tsp

2. Heat the olive oil in a 26 cm paella pan or wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and brown for 6 min, turning, until golden on all sides, then push it to the edge of the pan.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Lower to medium heat. In the centre of the pan, cook the onion, red pepper, garlic and green beans for 6 min, stirring, until softened. Add the grated tomato, smoked paprika, turmeric and the rest of the bezar and cook for 4 min, until the tomato has darkened and turned jammy, then mix everything together.

   Add in this stepOnion, finely chopped ½Red bell pepper, in 1 cm strips ½Garlic cloves, finely chopped 2Green beans, in 4 cm pieces 60 gRipe tomatoes, grated 1Smoked paprika 1 tspGround turmeric ¼ tspBezar (Emirati spice mix) or baharat ¾ tsp

   medium heat

4. Add the rice and stir on medium heat for 1 min, so every grain is coated and lightly toasted.

   Add in this stepPaella rice (bomba or another short-grain) 140 g

   medium heat

5. Crumble the saffron into the hot stock, then pour it over the rice with the loomi and the remaining salt. Stir once to spread the rice evenly, then don't stir again. Cook over high heat for 5 min, then lower to medium-low heat and cook for 11 min, until the stock is absorbed and small holes appear on the surface. If the pan is bigger than your burner, give it a quarter turn every few minutes so it cooks evenly. Taste a grain: it should be tender with a tiny bite in the centre.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 450 mlSaffron threads 1 pinchLoomi (dried black lime) 1Salt ½ tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

6. For the socarrat, turn up to medium-high heat for 1 min 30 sec, until you hear a gentle crackle and smell toasted (not burnt) rice. Take off the heat, cover with a clean tea towel and rest for 5 min. Scatter with the parsley and serve from the pan with the lemon wedges, scraping up the crispy crust from the bottom.

   Add in this stepLemon, cut into wedges ½Flat-leaf parsley, chopped 5 g

   medium-high heat