The history of Paella
Paella is a Spanish rice dish made with vegetables and meat. It is often made from chicken, rabbit or seafood, which are also traditional Spanish recipes. This dish combines two cultures in Spain. The Romans created the pan and the Arabs brought rice.
A story of many centuries ago tells about a Mour king who had his servants make rice dishes using the remains of the royal banquets. Then they would take home cooked rice in large pots. Paella is derived from the Arabic phrase baqiyah, which means leftovers. This dish has a long history.
Many who enjoy a good paella will share their Roman and Arabic roots. It is widely accepted that this dish originated in Valencia, a coastal city in eastern Spain. Valenciano is the local language, closely related to Catalan. Valencian words include paella. When describing the pan, most Spaniards would use paellera. The word Patella is Latin for pan. An old French word, paelle, is used to describe a pan. We take paella from Valenciano, which is closely related to French.
The common belief is that paella was invented in Valencia by farm workers. For simplicity, lots of rice and leftovers. Short holidays in the country regions of Spain became a favorite pastime of wealthy Valencians in the 19th century. The provincial dish was introduced to these wealthy Valencians! It was dressed with chicken and saffron, and quickly became the iconic Valencian paella.
The dish quickly became a hit and was often served with seafood. Although seafood is the most popular, this version is more modern and higher than the original.
What is paella pan?
These pans are both wide and shallow. These pans are designed so that the heat is distributed evenly. This allows the liquids to evaporate quickly and creates the golden brown crust on the bottom of your rice. This crust is indispensable for every good dish!
A lid is not necessary for pans. They trap moisture and can cause damage to the dish. This pan is ideal for many purposes due to its excellent heat conduction.
Guide to pan size:
- Four to six servings are recommended for a 16-inch pan.
- Recommended: 6-8 servings in 18-inch pan.
- Recommended serving size: 22-inch pan. The most popular.
- Recommended for 26 inch pans: 12-20.
- Recommended serving size: 32 inches for more than 20 servings.
Chef’s Hat offers a variety of paella and it’s easy to order one online. If you live in Melbourne, Australia, we are close to South Morgan Market. Alternatively, you can order online at https://www.chefshat.com.au/
A simple and typical recipe
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely peeled and chopped.
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped.
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped.
- 1/2 bunch parsley (chopped).
- 70g best chorizo (thick cut).
- 2 chicken thigh fillets (chop).
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
- 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika.
- 1 red capsicum (seedless, chopped).
- 1 cup tomato puree.
- 1 cube chicken inventory.
- 300 grams of long grain or Bomba rice.
- 100g frozen peas.
- 200g cooked frozen or fresh peeled prawns.
- 1 lemon.
Put oil in a pan and heat on medium heat. Peel the onion, carrot, chicken, chorizo and garlic and fry for about five minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the red capsicum. Then add the tomato puree. Add the chicken stock cube and the rice. Continue stirring for about a minute.
Add 750ml boiling water to the saucepan. Then it’s time to add freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. You can also use powdered salt or table salt.
Mix all the ingredients together with the peas, the prawns, and put it on a low heat. Let it cook slowly. The dish should be done after 30 minutes.
These pans can be used for many purposes. They are not only good for making paella. These pans can be used as frying pans, and you can cook many dishes with them. To ensure that your pan lasts a long time, do not use a metal spoon to stir food. This can cause permanent scratching.
Risotto, a Mediterranean rice dish, is often confused with paella. While both dishes use the same absorption method for cooking rice, they are quite different. Paella does not require constant stirring, while risotto must be stirred continuously. The risotto should be cooked in a large pot. I do not recommend cooking the risotto in a paella pan.
Practice makes perfect. There are many types of paella. I already mentioned Seafood and Valencia. But squid paella is also gaining popularity. It is dark or black in color and comes in many flavors. Vegetarian and vegan versions of paella are also becoming more popular. Whatever your preference, you must use a paella pan to make this dish. If you are like me, I use big paella and invite friends to help me prepare the dish. The pan is then placed on the dinner table. It is a unique dish that has an attractive appeal and a wow factor. It is great for conversation at the table and can be enjoyed with a glass of wine.
Add chopped parsley to the mixture. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy! Enjoy!
