Rice for paella
The recipes recommend calasparra or bomba rice. Neither is easy to find. My pantry has long grain Basmati, short grain Kokuho, and some Arborio. Which one is the best substitute?
Best Answer
The best substitute from the three rice you have on hand would be the short-grain Arborio rice. Both of the recommended rice are also short grain rice from the same general area geographically.
Basmati would be the worst choice as the it will result in the most difference in the texture of the rice and you would have to change the liquid content in your recipe to accommodate the Basmati rice.
Pictures about "Rice for paella"
Quick Answer about "Rice for paella"
The best rice for paella is Bomba rice, also labelled as Valencia Rice or Rice de Valencia (Valencia is the region that Paella is said to have originated from). The other common rice is called Calasparra Rice (a region in Spain where it is grown).What rice is most like paella rice?
The most commonly used rice in paella in Spain is called Bomba. It's a short-grain rice cultivated in the eastern parts of Spain.Is Arborio rice OK for paella?
Arborio Rice \u2013 Arborio rice is a short Italian rice that is perfect for paella. Paella is usually made with bomba rice which is also a short grain rice though it absorbs much more water, usually for every cup of raw rice you have to add 3 cups of liquid.Can you make paella with regular rice?
Can I Use Long Grain Rice for Paella? Short-grain rice is essential for this dish. Medium-grain rice is fine, but long-grain rice is entirely unacceptable.Is risotto rice the same as paella rice?
The difference between paella rice and risotto rice is mainly the way they are used in the dishes. A good risotto has a creamy, somewhat viscous structure, while good paella should be slightly dry and even a little crispy.The Perfect Rice Recipe (Spanish Paella)
More answers regarding rice for paella
Answer 2
Arboria is the worst rice to use in my experience - it takes much longer to cook and the starch content is too high. I can't buy Spanish rice where I live but any normal short grain should be OK. I have also used Basmati and produced good, if less authentic, results.
Answer 3
Yes, the best substitute is the Arborio rice. The Spaniards have paella, the Italians have risotto!
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: RODNAE Productions, Joshua Miranda, ROMAN ODINTSOV, Alexey Demidov