Prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onions and set aside separately. Finely chop the garlic. Peel and slice the carrot, clean and chop the peppers into small strips. Wipe the mushrooms clean and slice them. Cut the zucchini into strips or cubes as well.
Place the rice into a fine-mesh sieve, wash it and let it drain well.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the oil in an oven-proof pot. Add the onions and cook them for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables, stir well, and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Add the rice and the paprika powder, stir well and cook for another minute or so. Add the broth and cook the rice on the stove for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and place the pot in the preheated oven. Cook in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, without stirring.
The rice is done when all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is soft (check). The vegetables will all be at the top of the rice at the end of the cooking time. Either serve it like that or give the rice a gentle stir before serving.
Sprinkle with lots of parsley and serve with pickled vegetables, green salad, or cabbage salad.
Video
Notes
You can add some hot paprika or red chili flakes if you want the dish to be spicier. But Romanian food is rarely spicy.