Asian-Style Paella

Step 1

For the sofrito: Add the cilantro, vegetable oil, garlic, onion and salt to a blender and blend on low speed. Then slowly increase to medium to high speed. It should have a smooth texture to it when done. If the mix is still chunky, add additional oil and continue to blend to assure all the ingredients emulsify. Set aside the sofrito for later use in the paella rice seasoning.

Step 2

For the paella rice seasoning: Heat a medium soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the oil and then 1/3 cup of the sofrito and let it cook for about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, sazon con azafrin, salt and chicken bouillon. Stir together. Taste the liquid to see if it needs any additional salt. Set aside until ready to add to the boiling rice.

Step 3

For the rice: Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pot and let heat up for 1 minute. Add the rice, water and reserved paella rice seasoning and let it slowly come to a boil. Stir all the ingredients together. Allow the rice to absorb all the visible liquid. Once most of the surface liquid is absorbed, stir the rice and turn the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. The rice grains will be fluffy when fully cooked and all the liquid will be absorbed.

Step 4

For the meats: Heat a wok or pan over medium heat. Add the oil and green onions and let it warm. Add Chinese lap cheong sausage, mild pork sausage and edamame beans and stir fry. Add cooked paella rice and sambal chili garlic. Stir the rice, sausages, edamame beans and onions together. Scoop the rice in a bowl, top with the soy marinated pork carnitas and garnish with green onions.

Step 5

Combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, oyster sauce, mushroom soy, green onions, star anise, cloves, peppercorn blend, cinnamon sticks and ginger slices in an 18-quart container. With a large whisk, mix the ingredients together. Make sure all the sugar at the bottom is properly stirred into the liquid. Gradually pour the water into the container and continue to stir.

Step 6

Cut the pork butt in 2-inch square pieces. Trim all the hard fat off and leave about a quarter of the soft fat on the meat. Set the pork in a deep cooking pan, and, using a ladle, pour the soy marinade mix over the meat, make sure all the meat is covered in the liquid. (Any extra soy-ginger marinade can be put away and used again on a later date.) Add the dried black mushroom and bay leaves to the liquid, spreading them evenly throughout the pan. Tightly wrap the pan with heavy-duty foil and refrigerate overnight.

Step 7

The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure the foil is tightly sealed around the pan and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 3 hours. Take the pan out of the oven and remove the foil. With a fork and tongs pull at the pork. It should easily tear off to assure it's fully cooked.