Which fan of Spanish cuisine does not know paella, this typical and convivial dish? It can be cooked for one or more people. It is a very easy dish to make. No wonder many people love it. But concretely, where does paella come from and what is its origin? How do you make a tasty Spanish paella?
The history of paella
The paella, this word means in Catalan "the pan". And it is precisely in the frying pan that we cook this good Spanish dish that was born in the region of Valencia. In this part, the rice that the Arabs once brought from Iraq is grown. Little by little, rice has become the basic cereal of this part of Spain. The preparation of this dish varies according to the ingredients that are added. To date, there are several paella recipes in the world, but what they all have in common is of course the fact that this dish is made with rice. Originally, this dish was mainly intended for the poor because rice was cheap. It was prepared with whatever the farmers could find on their farms and was eaten by all in the same container in which it was cooked.
Ingredients of the traditional paella
Traditional paella is currently protected by the AOC. The original ingredients are those found in the Valencia region. There were: rice, chicken, rabbit meat, flat green beans, large white beans, and finally a sauce based on saffron and grated tomato. This is the dish of Valencian origin that is recognised as the original paella, but the recipe varies according to the means of each person and the place.
Some little secrets to make a successful paella
To make a good paella, you must first choose the right size of pan. A large pan must be used. The shape will favour a good evaporation for a better concentration of flavours. The second, very important secret is the ingredients to use. You must brown them well in the pan according to their cooking time: the meat at the beginning, then the vegetables. And last but not least, the third secret is how to cook the rice. The rice must not be overboiled or undercooked. To add flavour, it can be cooked in meat broth.
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