Simpol Spanish Seafood and Chicken Paella

In a bowl, season 250g sliced chicken thigh fillet with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Mix well until chicken pieces are evenly coated.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large paella pan over high heat. Add seasoned chicken pieces and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until browned on the outside, then remove to a plate.

In the same pan oil, add the shrimp heads. Press and mash the heads with a spatula while sautéing for 1 to 2 minutes until the oil turns orange and fragrant.

Add 250g fresh shrimps to the shrimp-infused oil and season with 0.25 tsp salt. Sear lightly for 1 minute until turned pink, then transfer to the plate with chicken. Discard the mashed shrimp heads.

Pour remaining 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan. Add 0.5 cup chopped onion, 4 cloves minced garlic, and 0.5 cup diced red bell pepper. Season with 0.25 tsp salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Add 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary (crush with fingers), and 1 tsp turmeric powder to the aromatics. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and yellow in color.

Stir in 0.5 cup canned chopped tomatoes and 2 tsp sugar. Cook and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until tomato liquid reduces into a thick, glossy sofrito paste.

Pour 2 cups uncooked Japanese rice into the sofrito. Stir and sauté continuously for 2 minutes until every grain of rice is well coated in oil and sauce.

Pour 6 cups warm chicken stock into the pan. Stir gently once to spread the rice evenly across the bottom. Allow it to come to a simmer for 5 to 7 minutes without stirring.

Taste the bubbling broth and add 1 tbsp fish sauce (patis) to enhance the seafood flavor profile.

Arrange and slightly embed the seared chicken pieces and 200g cleaned clams evenly into the simmering rice.

Grind 0.5 tsp black pepper over the top, then arrange strips of 0.5 cup red bell pepper and 0.5 cup green bell pepper across the surface of the rice.

Reduce the heat to low. Arrange the seared shrimps and 2 pieces squid (cut into rings and tentacles) neatly on top of the paella.

Scatter 100g green peas over the top. Leave on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed, squid is cooked through, and you smell the light aroma of crispy tutong (socarrat) at the bottom. Turn off the heat.

Let the paella rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Finely chop 1 tbsp fresh parsley and sprinkle evenly over the top.

Arrange lemon wedges from 1 lemon and quarters from 1 hard-boiled egg around the perimeter of the paella pan. Serve hot.