#paellavalenciana
Valencian Paella is the star dish of our city. Among the many typical rice dishes of the region, we could say that Valencian paella is the one that never fails. In many families, paella is a Sunday ritual. Everyone gathers at grandma’s house to make it and spend a day together.
Now, what’s the problem? Depending on the region of the Valencian Community, paella has different ingredients. Outside the region, creative versions of this dish have been created. However, a Valencian will tell you that it’s simply “rice with things.”
But don’t worry, they’ve found a solution to this. The Department of Agriculture approved the “traditional Valencian paella with Denomination of Origin Valencia Rice,” a standardized recipe for this special dish.
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Restaurants must use ten ingredients to make the authentic “Valencian paella.” These ingredients are: oil, chicken, rabbit, “ferraura,” “garrofó,” tomato, water, salt, saffron, and rice. Of course, some variations are considered, such as duck yes or duck no, and snails?
Depending on the area of the Valencian Community you’re in, the answer will be different. In Benicarló, artichoke is used in the dish, but others use duck or paprika in their recipes—all are valid.
Another issue is garlic in paella. Some like it with its strong flavor, but others don’t want to associate “paella” with “garlic.” In this article, we explain how to make Valencian paella in detail, although there are other ways to do it.
- Fire is important for making wood-fired paella. It gives it a special smoky flavor.
- Put oil in the paella and add a handful of salt to prevent it from burning. The bottom should be covered but not too much, or it will turn oily.
- When the oil is hot, add the chicken and wait for it to brown. Then add the chopped rabbit since the cooking time is different.
- Once the meat is browned, add the beans, garrofó, and sweet paprika, mixing everything well. Add the grated tomato and fry everything together, avoiding the paprika from burning. This step is crucial as it gives flavor to the rice.
- Next, add water up to the paella’s rivets. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat a bit and add saffron. It’s also the perfect time to check if it has the right amount of salt.
- Now it’s time to add the rice. The traditional way to spread the rice is to make a cross in the boiling water and then distribute it evenly in the container. This is done to ensure that it is distributed evenly throughout the container.
- Control the fire. This is the most delicate moment—if you fall short, the rice will be hard, and if you go over, it will open up and be overcooked. It needs strong heat for 10 minutes and another 10 minutes of lower heat for the rice to be just right. If you want to make a good Valencian paella, make sure to have “socarrat” at the base of the rice; it will add a crispy touch that can’t be missing.
Congratulations! If you’ve made it this far, the flavor is guaranteed. Don’t worry about the rice—the key to making a good paella is to practice many times until you find the right balance.
At this point, we would only need to talk about the extras of this recipe. Some prepare a plate of prepared onion, to which acidity has previously been removed, with oil to add to the paella. Also, a plate with lemon cannot be missing for those who want to add a few drops.
We hope your next paella is a complete success!
