Paella is a dish which has rice as the main ingredient. It originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near Valencia. Many people think paella is Spain's national dish. Most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish. Valencians, in turn, regard paella as one of their identifying symbols.
There are three widely known types of paella. Valencian paella, seafood paella and mixed paella, but there are many others as well.
Valencian paella consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat, snails, beans and seasoning. Seafood paella replaces meat and snails with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. Mixed paella is a free-style combination of meat, seafood, vegetables, and sometimes beans.
Most paella chefs use calasparra or bomba rices for this dish. Other key ingredients include saffron and olive oil.
The Spanish rice dish 'Paella' takes its name from the pan it is cooked in, which in turn comes from the Latin word for 'pan' or 'dish.'
Paella is primarily eaten at lunchtime because it is considered too heavy for dinner.
The Tribune