# Rice for paella.....



## sudsy9977 (Dec 9, 2011)

So i have read many different opinions on types of rices used for paella....which is the easiest to get that will give good results.....no it will not be served to paella aficionados so i don't have to be that authentic....buying in a store would be preferable to pay for shipping for just a bag of frigid rice....Ryan


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## apicius9 (Dec 9, 2011)

Best would be a Spanish bomba rice, but to be honest, I have also made it with Italian arborio rice and it came out just as well. Arborio should be easy to find in a well stocked market, not sure if Wholefoods has bomba.

Stefan


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## sudsy9977 (Dec 9, 2011)

I thought arborio would be he opposite of what u wNted?.....isn't it fluffily and separate instead of creamy and sticky like risotto.....and whats up with the rice crust on the bottom?.....Ryan


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## SpikeC (Dec 9, 2011)

Arborio is the standard risotto rice.


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## apicius9 (Dec 9, 2011)

Naah, both are medium grain rice varieties that can stay just that little bit chewy in the middle but absorb flavors well. Just don't wash the rice.

Just found this and it looks o.k. even though it is on the internet 

http://www.ehow.com/info_8181492_type-rice-use-paella.html


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## Andrew H (Dec 9, 2011)

sudsy9977 said:


> I thought arborio would be he opposite of what u wNted?.....isn't it fluffily and separate instead of creamy and sticky like risotto.....and whats up with the rice crust on the bottom?.....Ryan



I think arborio would work. I believe it just becomes creamy during the many additions of liquid, but I'm sure some of the many cooks on this board could answer this better than me.


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## obtuse (Dec 9, 2011)

arborio would be awful, too chalky. use short grain Japanese rice, it works great. closest to Valencia rice in texture.


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## tk59 (Dec 9, 2011)

I've been using Arborio for a long time. Paella is one of my go-to dishes and it is excellent, if I do say so myself.


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## sachem allison (Dec 9, 2011)

valencia or bomba are the traditional paella rices. You want the rice to be sticky enough that when you put it on a spoon and turn it upside down it won't fall off. The crusty bottom is really what everyone is after in a good paella it should be crispy and carmelized, but not burnt. That is why they use a thin carbon steel paella pan. The paella is brought to the table and everyone sits around and eats directly out of the pan, by scraping one spoon full at a time from the edge in and savoring the crusty bits. It shouldn't be fluffy or soupy it should be just right. I miss Spain! I'm going to make paella tomorrow!


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## tk59 (Dec 9, 2011)

sachem allison said:


> ...I'm going to make paella tomorrow!


Me, too! lol


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## apicius9 (Dec 9, 2011)

obtuse said:


> arborio would be awful, too chalky. use short grain Japanese rice, it works great. closest to Valencia rice in texture.



Hey, maybe we should do a paella throw down in Honolulu  I actually did use Japanese rice the last time I made one, so I agree on that one.

Stefan


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## Dusty (Dec 10, 2011)

Calasparra is excellent and also traditional, if you can only get Italian rice, carnaroli will be better than vialone nano or arborio.


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## obtuse (Dec 10, 2011)

apicius9 said:


> Hey, maybe we should do a paella throw down in Honolulu  I actually did use Japanese rice the last time I made one, so I agree on that one.
> 
> Stefan



we should have a Honolulu get together. we seem to have similar taste!


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## mano (Dec 10, 2011)

My first paella pan and a kilo of bomba rice were delivered yesterday by Amazon. The rice is expensive so I'm looking for a local source or equal alternative.

We keep arborio in the house and I'll try it out at some point.

My understanding is paella is a peasant dish cooked over a wood fire with rabbit and seafood. I'm going to try it on the smoker but wouldn't rabbit be tough unless it's braised first? Not that I make it all that often, but that's how I've always cooked bunny.


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## Lukas (Dec 10, 2011)

Mano,

Bomba is great and the most commonly used in good paellas, if cooked properly you'll get a first rate paella. Calasparra is also good. I personally use Bomba rice "Les Tanques" from the town of Pego, but it's unlikely you can find it outside the Valencian Community.

I posted these 2 links in the Off Topic forum, you might find them helpful:

1. seafood paella: http://blog.daviddejorge.com/2011/08...anda-socarrat/ by Quique Dacosta, 2 Michelin stars, one of the greatest chefs we have right now

2. rabbit paella: http://blog.daviddejorge.com/2010/07...la-valenciana/

the show is obviously in Spanish but it shouldn't be too hard to follow and the recipes can be translated with Google Translate.


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## add (Dec 10, 2011)

IT'S RICE WARS ! 

:running:


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## Noodle Soup (Dec 10, 2011)

Valencia rice. I buy mine from The Spanish Table in Seattle but they are on the web. I've had rice and just about anything you can think of as paella in Spain.


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## cnochef (Dec 10, 2011)

sachem allison said:


> valencia or bomba are the traditional paella rices. You want the rice to be sticky enough that when you put it on a spoon and turn it upside down it won't fall off. The crusty bottom is really what everyone is after in a good paella it should be crispy and carmelized, but not burnt. That is why they use a thin carbon steel paella pan. The paella is brought to the table and everyone sits around and eats directly out of the pan, by scraping one spoon full at a time from the edge in and savoring the crusty bits. It shouldn't be fluffy or soupy it should be just right. I miss Spain! I'm going to make paella tomorrow!



Mmmm crusty bottom rice, makes me want to get out my dolsot (stone bowl) and make Korean Bi Bim Bap!


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## Lukas (Dec 11, 2011)

For some reason the links I posted don't work, below are the fixed ones:

1. seafood paella: http://blog.daviddejorge.com/2011/08/29/robinfood-arroz-a-banda-socarrat/ by Quique Dacosta, 2 Michelin stars, one of the greatest chefs we have right now

2. rabbit paella: http://blog.daviddejorge.com/2010/07/12/robinfood-paella-valenciana/

also, in the second link, Quique Dacosta explains how to create the crusty bottom, also known as "socarrat".


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## mano (Dec 11, 2011)

Lukas, I went to the other post for the links and did a google translate. There are some words I may ask you about through PMs, but the video and recipe are terrific. 

I don't speak Spanish and the seafood video seems to have a clearer demonstration of socarrat than the rabbit, where the rice is mixed in with all the ingredients after they've cooked for a while. For the seafood, he makes a full layer of socarrat, and I assume the other ingredients are placed on top.

I already have chicken and seafood stock in the freezer but will make more.


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## Lukas (Dec 12, 2011)

Mano,

the Socarrat is quite easy, at the end of the cooking, when there is none or very little stock left, crank up the fire to full power and add a stream of olive oil making a spiral shape, let it cook for 30 seconds, turn the fire off and let the rice rest covered.


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## CalleNAK (Dec 12, 2011)

I always use Bomba. Amazon prime eligible so I'm good.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001IZM8WE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## NO ChoP! (Dec 12, 2011)

In the neighborhood grocery store nearest my work (located in a primarily Latino neighborhood) There is a brand name called "Goya" that makes a "California short grain rice" that is nearly indistinguishable from a quality Spanish rice....and it's much less $$$$....


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## obtuse (Dec 13, 2011)

NO ChoP! said:


> In the neighborhood grocery store nearest my work (located in a primarily Latino neighborhood) There is a brand name called "Goya" that makes a "California short grain rice" that is nearly indistinguishable from a quality Spanish rice....and it's much less $$$$....



+1


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