The world-famous Spanish seafood paella—how much do you know about its history? And how familiar are you with the proper way to make it?
Traditional Spanish paella does not include seafood?
The Spanish paella originated from Valencia, Spain's third-largest city. Many tourists visiting Spain make a special trip to Valencia just to taste the most authentic paella. Originally, traditional paella did not include seafood and was primarily made with meats like chicken and rabbit, along with vegetables. Cooked in a large, shallow pan with ingredients such as tomatoes, green beans, Spanish rice, and meats, the dish allows the essence of the fresh ingredients to seep into the rice, creating an irresistible aroma that even people from neighboring cities find enticing.
As paella became more widely known, it spread to other cities, leading to the creation of various versions. Being a coastal country with abundant seafood, Spain eventually developed seafood versions of paella. Many people who have tried the seafood paella find it even sweeter and more delicious, which led to its promotion and global popularity.
What should you pay attention to when cooking paella?
There are several important points to note when cooking paella, some of which even experienced chefs might overlook, leading to less than ideal results. These points include:
Use a Shallow Pan: Spaniards use a shallow pan for a reason. A deep pan makes it difficult for the heat to disperse evenly, resulting in uneven cooking of the rice.
Do Not Stir After Adding the Rice: Stirring the rice will release more starch, increasing the chance of the rice sticking to the pan and burning.
Do Not Use Italian Rice as a Substitute: Italian rice is high in starch and tends to become very sticky, which is ideal for risotto but not for paella. If you can’t find Spanish rice, you can substitute it with regular Taiwanese or Japanese pearl rice.
A perfect Spanish paella should have an even colour, vibrant hues, and a layer of crispy rice at the bottom of the pan, known as socarrat. The seafood on top should be minimal so that it doesn’t completely cover the rice, maintaining visual appeal. Despite all the details, Spanish seafood paella is not difficult to make. Using the right pan and managing the heat are key to success. With a bit of practice, you’ll master it in no time.
Ingredients (serve 2-4)
Spanish Rice i.e. Bomba Rice | 200g |
|---|---|
Fish Stock | 500g |
Prawns | 8 pcs |
Scallops | 6 pcs |
Mussels | 12pcs |
Red Capsicum | 1 bulb |
Tomato | 1 bulb |
Garlic | 3 cloves |
Saffron | 9-10 shred |
Black Peppercorn | 1 tsp |
E.V. Olive Oil | 2 tbsp |
Parsley | 1 sprig |
Lemon | 1 bulb |
Steps
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1.
Blend the tomatoes into a purée. Remove the seeds from the bell peppers and dice them. Cut the lemon into wedges. Chop the parsley. Clean the mussels and remove their beards. Dice half of the scallops. Peel the prawns.
2.
In a grinder, combine garlic, black peppercorns, saffron, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and grind into a paste. (If you don’t have a grinder, you can use a knife to chop the ingredients finely and then mix with olive oil.)
3.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan over medium heat, and sauté the diced bell peppers until soft. Add the freshly made saffron paste and mix in the tomato purée as well.
4.
Add the fish stock and bring to a boil.
5.
Once boiling, add the diced scallops and mix well. Immediately sprinkle the Spanish rice evenly into the liquid. After adding the rice, do not stir, but you can shake the pan a few times to spread the rice out. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
6.
After 5 minutes, add the seafood and arrange it evenly on top of the rice. Continue to cook over medium heat for an additional 5 minutes.
7.
After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. During this time, occasionally move the pan to ensure even cooking.
8.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, cover with aluminum foil, and then a cloth, and let it rest for 3 minutes.
9.
After 3 minutes, remove the foil, add the lemon wedges, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Enjoy!
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