Ask people who've been to Spain, and they
will tell you that paella is on top of the list of traditional Spanish dishes
you shouldn't miss out on. This savoury rice dish is cooked with various green
vegetables, meat, beans, and seasonings and is as colourful as it is delicious.
From Valencia, Spain, paella has made its
way to modern cuisine. However, few restaurants cook it right (the way Spanish
cooks get it just perfect). Somehow the taste isn't right, or it's crammed with too many extras.
Cooking paella is easy, you just need to keep it simple.
Whatever recipe you choose, if you want to make a great paella then you should
follow these 4 essential tips:
- Use the right rice. Paella cooks
will tell you that, ultimately, it is good rice that makes a great paella.
Use short-grain
rice only; it absorbs liquid and flavour easily and will stay firm during
cooking. The most prestigious choice would be Spanish bomba, although there are
other varieties that will do as well, such as valenciano, arborio, or Japanese
sushi rice. Long-grain rice is not an option.
Paella's
cooked rice must be slightly moist but separate, not creamy like risotto, so
absolutely no stirring is necessary.
Tip: Paella is about the rice. One of the common mistakes in cooking
paella is overloading with other ingredients. Allow just enough to give
flavour, but not too many to smother the rice.
- Use a real paella pan. Also called paellera,
this type of pan is wide, round, and shallow. Valencians agree that the
cooked rice must only be as thick as the width of one finger. A paella pan ensures that the rice is cooked in
a thin layer. It's also wide enough to accommodate more paella.
Put
only the amount of rice the size of the paella pan calls for. Overloading will
result in the rice tasting steamed and
fluffy. Also, you might notice that a paella pan doesn't come with a lid. This is
because placing a cover will merely give
you steamed rice.
Tip: The flavour is in the bottom of the pan, so it's best to maximise
the amount of rice that touches the bottom.
- Heat source is important.
Traditionally, paella is cooked outdoors in a fire pit with orange tree
branches or other aromatic woods as heat source. This gives the rice a
light smoky taste. However, this is not always possible and it's
perfectly fine to stay in the kitchen. Just keep in mind that while
cooking, the heat should be evenly distributed on the entire bottom
surface of the pan. Use a large stove burner. If the burner is smaller
than the pan, push the pan around when cooking to cover all areas and
ensure that all the rice is cooked.
- For flavours, use sofrito and good stock. Sofrito is a sauté of aromatics that provides the flavour
base of the paella. The contents of the sofrito vary by region. A popular
trio includes tomato, onion, and garlic, although others include paprika,
fresh herbs, and pepper as well.
Also, a lot of
Spaniards believe that a great paella calls for a flavourful homemade stock,
preferably low salt, rather than store-bought one. The amount of liquid should
be double than that of rice.
Lastly, instead
of artificial colouring, stick to the tradition and add saffron, a spice
included in every paella recipe. It not only gives a gentle yellow colour but
also adds flavour and aroma.
Finally, you know you've made a great
paella when it has the prized soccarat, the crispy, golden caramelised
rice at the bottom, which also adds texture and flavour. Cover with aluminium
foil and let stand for at least 5 minutes. Eat paella communal style and serve
from the pan.
A lot of mistakes in cooking
paella are fairly simple, like using too much rice, cooking with the wrong pan, or
adding too many ingredients. If you know these
beforehand, rest assured that you can make a delicious paella easily; perfect for
gatherings or just something to enjoy on a cool late afternoon with a cerveza
in hand.
We've hand selected a few of our favourite paella recipes - enjoy!
- Ultimate Paella by Jamie Oliver
- Traditional Paella by All Recipes
- Paella by Taste (although we recommend using short-grain rice instead of medium-grain rice)