Paella Cooking Tips and Tricks
There are no definate ideas for what excatly what should go into (and what should certainly no go into) a Paella. In Spain, it is a sure fire way to have a heated discussion!
Here are a few 'rules' and tips that should help you make a great Paella, whatever ingredients you decide to use.
Always try and use Paella rice. Never use long-grain easy cook rice as it will not absorb the flavours of the Paella.
Never wash the rice before cooking it.
Once the rice is added to the Paella, stir it around to ensure it is distributed evenly and below the level of the liquid, but after that do not stir or move the rice.
Use about 75-100 grms of Paella rice per-person.
When scaling up quantities, remember also to use a bigger Paella pan if necessary. The Paella should never be too deep. One "rule of thumb" says, that the Paella should never be above the rivets of the handles.
Most Spanish Paella rice will absorb around double its volume in liquid. However, if you are using Calasparra Paella rice, it will be around 3 times its volume and "la bomba" rice (The king of Paella rices), around 4 times !.
