The Truth About Paella Valenciana, Its History, Ingredients and How to Make It

 

You should know that the original Paella does not contain any seafood. Yes, Paella, once known as Arroz a La Valenciana (Valencian Rice) and now known as Paella Valenciana, was developed by Valencian peasants and farmers. Although the dish contains numerous common ingredients, none of them are seaborne.

So, in order to get to know it better and learn how to make this traditional Spanish dish, we traveled to Valencia in eastern Spain.

 

The History of Paella

The first recorded recipe for paella can be found in Josep Orri's manuscript titled "Avisos, I instruccions por lo principiant cuyner" from the seventeenth century. Given that this dish originated in the Marjal de La Albufera in Valencia, it was originally known as Arroz a La Valenciana.

How it all began

A legacy of the Moors who conquered the Iberian Peninsula in the seventh century, the Albufera district in the Valencian province is widely renowned for its rice fields.

Arroz a La Valenciana, also known as Paella Valenciana, was invented by local farmers and workers using the rice and other fresh ingredients that were readily available. It is one of the most well-known rice dishes in the entire world. At that time, the people would gather for lunch and prepare paella over an orange wood fire using ingredients they had picked in the area. A communal meal made from apparently basic items from the fields.

What does Paella mean?

The name of the pan used to prepare this dish, paella, which comes from the Latin word patella, is used in Valencian. Since it is typically eaten right from the pan, it makes natural that the dish goes by the same name.

Additionally, check out: Tapas e Pintxos: A Guide to Spanish Appetizers.

Paella is unlike any other pan; it resembles a shallow, wide frying pan with handles on either side, and its nearly flat bottom enables equal cooking.

Another idea contends that the Arabic word baqiyah, which was also influenced by the Moors, was used to translate the word paella, which means "leftovers."

The Ingredients of Paella Valenciana

Paella started with ingredients that were easy to find in the field such as ferradura, tavella and garrofón, all typical legumes of the region.

Does the original Paella have seafood?

The answer is no. Many believe that Paella Valenciana is a seafood rice dish, which is a big mistake. Remembering that Paella emerged as a field dish and not sea. Chicken, rabbit, snails and occasionally duck meat were originally used.

The Ingredients of Paella Valenciana

Paella is a traditional rice dish. Currently, rice produced in the fields of La Albufera has Protected Designation of Origin (D.O.P) and the most common type for Paella is called bomba rice.

The authentic ingredients of Paella Valenciana are:

• Garrofón (a type of large white bean)

• Ferradura or Judía Verde Plana (similar to green bean)

• Tomato

• Chicken

• Rabbit

• Snail

• Olive Oil

• Salt

• Rice (currently, bomba rice)

• Water

• Saffron

• Rosemary

How to prepare the Authentic Paella Valenciana

The recipe for Paella Valenciana is traditionally prepared in orange wood and follows 5 steps:

1. El Sofrito – The stir-fried

The meat should be added to the pan when it is extremely hot and liberally drizzled with olive oil and salt to achieve a golden colour and crispy texture. Add the Ferradura or Juda Verde (green beans) and stir fry for a few more minutes until the meat achieves the desired doneness.

Grated tomatoes should be placed in the centre of the pan. Wait a few minutes before adding the paprika; stir thoroughly to prevent burning.

2. El Caldo – The Broth

The phase of stir-frying the tomatoes is finished when the water in the tomatoes evaporates, and the next step is to make the broth. Snails, water, garrofón, saffron, and. At this time, you can put a rosemary sprig in the middle of the pan and take it out later (before adding the rice). If necessary, reduce the salt.

3. El Arroz – The Rice

The proper way to pour rice is subject to numerous customs. A few examples include the well-known cross form, a mountain range cutting across the paella, or just distributing the rice in a circle from the outer corners to the centre.

No matter how you arrange the rice in the paella, it's critical that it be distributed uniformly to ensure proper cooking.

 

4. El ‘Socarrat’ – The rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan

Undoubtedly, one of the Socarrat's most contentious components is the Valencian spoon.

The rice at the bottom of the pan, known as socarrat, caramelises as the broth is absorbed, giving it a toasted (not burnt) texture and excellent flavour. Be careful; socarrat is not the same as burned rice, and there are ways to avoid it.

The sound of the rice is one indicator of socarrat readiness. According to rumours, rice starts to fry at the bottom of the pan with a peculiar crackling sound when the soup dries. It is the forming socarrat.

 

Another way to evaluate socarrat is by the friction of the rice at the bottom of the pan. With a spoon, you scrape the bottom of the pan to feel if the rice is already sticking or not.

There is a difference between the socarrat friction and the burnt friction, and only practice will tell you when it is time to put out the fire.

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5. El Reposado – The Rest

After cooking is complete, the paella needs to rest. It is customary to cover the paella with a cloth or another type of covering, like aluminum foil or baking paper.

Serve the people now! Grab a spoon and eat the paella straight from the paella with everyone around if you want to maintain the custom.

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