Paella is a Spanish rice dish. I first tried it while on a holiday on the Spanish Balearic Island of Majorca, one of the best places to visit in Spain. At the time I thought it was the tastiest rice dish I had ever tried. So I continue to try it regularly! Even though I tried it in Majorca it originated in Valencia, Spain. Apparently authentic Spanish Paella evolved from lunchtime meals cooked by farmers in their rice fields to utilise ingredients like vegetables and maybe wild animals like rabbit.
Over time, the dish evolved into the celebrated dish we know today. I read somewhere that Paella is made by males in the household. It is made by them to give females the day off from cooking. I’m afraid it doesn’t happen in my household. This is why, in my opinion, it is such an easy meal to make as it has to be easy for males to make! LOL. But as a female, I love to make Paella. It is an easy and tasty dish that everyone will enjoy while camping, backpacking and travelling.
Here is my easy Paella recipe. And if you are wondering, you don’t necessarily need a paella pan to cook paella. As long as you have heat any skillet or large pan will do. Which is good news cause not everyone can fit a paella pan in their backpack or van!
What is in Paella
Paella is a Spanish rice dish with the main ingredient in paella being rice, saffron infused rice. Most also include vegetables, chicken pieces and seafood such as prawns. But it is up to you as to what you like and, what fresh ingredients you can get your hands on.
Best Rice to Use for Paella
Paella rice is a short grain variety of rice. Like Aborio rice used in many risottos like my curry sausage risotto, paella rice absorbs more liquid than other types of rice without getting mush – and who likes mushy rice?
Paella rice is often labelled and available in most supermarkets. You will probably see the word ‘arroz’ on the packaging. Arroz means rice in Spanish. If you cannot find paella rice use arborio rice.Â
What Goes into Paella
Your biggest question about paella I bet is: what goes into paella? Well, it is quite a simple recipe. Firstly, you have the base ingredients of rice, aromatics like garlic, onion and saffron (this gives the rice that warm yellow tinge) and stock (or water if you don’t have stock). Then you have what I like to call the add ins of chicken, seafood (prawns, calamari or mussels) and chorizo plus fresh tomato, capsicum (peppers) and peas. All pretty healthy ingredients, don’t you think!
FYI, Spaniards don’t include chorizo, but outside of Spain, many add it as it adds plenty of flavour to the paella.
How to Make Paella while Travelling, Backpacking or Camping
Despite what you might think, paella is an easy dish to make while camping, backpacking or travelling. You just need the ingredients, cooking facilities and a bit of time. Basically, you can do it all in the one skillet or pot.Â
- Firstly, sear off the chicken.Â
- Then sauté onion and garlic.
- Add saffron and rice and some chorizo.Â
- Add stock or broth and simmer a while.
- Add vegetables, seafood and whatever else you fancy and continue to simmer while occasionally stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of your pan and that the rice is absorbing the fluid and all ingredients are cooked to perfection.
- Serve.
How to Cook Paella
Cook your paella uncovered. This is a distinct cooking technique for paella other like other rice dishes like risotto or biryani. The paella is best cooked in a paella pan as they are large and shallow allowing the rice to spread out thinly so it cooks evenly. But as mentioned, you don’t necessarily need to make paella in a paella pan, just a large skillet or frypan will do.
How Much to Make per Person
If you are a solo traveller, solo backpacker or solo camper you will only want to make enough for you – unless you want to eat paella for a few days running! I suggest you allow about 1/3 cup or about 60g of rice per person (adult) and as many vegetables and seafood as you like. And I usually add 1 cup of water or stock per 1/3 cup of rice.Â
Tips to making authentic Spanish Paella
- Use a paella pan if you can.
- Use broth or stock as it adds more flavour.
- Try not to stir as stirring activates starch making the paella sticky. Plus, paellas often have a crust on the bottom called soccarat – which many Spanish think is the best bit!
- Add your seafood and veggies when rice is half cooked so everything will be cooked at the same time.Â
What to Serve with Paella
I don’t serve anything with the paella, but I do like some churros afterwards.
Cheats Paella or Shortcut Paella
If you are on the road and cannot carry all the ingredients then I sometimes make a shortcut Paella or cheats Paella. I do this by buying a pack of pre-made flavoured rice that just needs heating. But I sauté fresh ingredients like chicken, chorizo, onion, prawns and some vegetables before adding the pre-made flavoured rice. Check out how I make this shortcut Paella dish here.
Paella
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Small onion or leek, chopped
- Small red capsicum, sliced
- 1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon garlic powder or paste
- Small chorizo sausage, chopped or sliced
- 1 chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
- 12 peeled cooked prawns, large ones or about 20 small ones.
- Teaspoon turmeric
- 6 saffron threads
- 11/2 cup basmati or arborio rice
- 2 cups chicken stock, or you can use water if stock not available
- Cup frozen peas or frozen vegetables (peas, corn, carrot - chopped)
- Lemon wedges, optional.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a Paella dish or a deep fry pan or skillet. Cook chicken pieces until golden and set aside.
- Fry onion, chorizo, garlic, capsicum till soft and cooked to your liking.
- Add the rice, turmeric and saffron and stir everything in.
- Add stock, chicken and handful of veggies. Bring to boil then reduce heat and cook on low for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lastly, add cooked prawns and stir through. Heat for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with or without lemon wedges. A squeeze of lemon juice from the lemon wedge for extra flavour.
Make Authentic Spanish Paella
If visiting Spain, why not learn to make traditional Paella. Check out the Paella cooking classes.
