You may notice that when you search for the best paella in Sydney that there isn’t a whole lot of information available let alone good restaurants in the area. Recipes for the true variant of this traditional meal vary depending on who you ask and so does the quality of the meal. Even if you were to go on message boards the only useful tips they provide is what shouldn’t go in the dish. But what if you want to make or eat it yourself without going to Spain?
Well we have just the solution for you. Instead of going to Spain we have gone through a tonne of research to find out how you can make or buy the best paella in Sydney. Follow these simple tips and you will be treat your tastebuds to a trip around the world regardless.
How to handle the pan
One of the first things you should be looking out for when trying to find the best paella in Sydney is how you handle the pan. Optimally if you were to buy or cook this dish yourself you would have access to a paella pan. These cooking utensils are specifically made and designed to enhance the flavour of certain ingredients to give your dish that oomph it deserves.
Quality restaurants or food vendors should have these available otherwise if you are cooking at home a last resort option would be a 4cm deep frying pan. The reason these special polished carbon steel pans are used is because after multiple cooks they develop a patina layer on the pan. This layer forms from the continuous reaction of the ingredients with the steel which actually gives dishes extra flavour enhancement.
If you are new to these types of dishes and think that a layer of food on your pan sounds gross, this film is actually key to a connoisseur of the dish and isn’t the same without.
How to turn up the heat
Heat is a very important part when you are looking for the best paella in Sydney. Having an even heat source will ensure that your dish is cooked thoroughly and evenly. It is recommended that you use a large hotplate or gas burner to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed across the pan.
You should be constantly monitoring the dish to ensure that the heat is even throughout the pan and the dish. If you notice that one side is hotter than the other consider rotating the pan every once and a while to ensure an even heat source.
While it is important to monitor the heat, the best paella in Sydney doesn’t need constant stirring or checking up on like other dishes. Once the dish reaches the optimal heat setting it should be left to rest and simmer so that the ingredients are cooked and absorbed into the grains of the dish. The light golden crust that forms on the bottom of the pan is referred to as socarrat and is meant to be absolutely divine.
The best ingredients make the best paella in Sydney
When you are looking to buy or make your own best paella in Sydney you should look to use high quality ingredients to ensure that your dish is also high quality. If you’re trying to buy a high quality meal, the price normally reflects the quality of the ingredients that the chef uses. While that can be true for most cases, the best ingredients don’t guarantee that you will have the best paella in Sydney. Cooking is an art form and a good chef will know how to best utilize the ingredients that they have.
The most iconic ingredient to go into the Spanish dish has to be saffron. The true power of this ingredient comes out from threads that are in hot water and made into their own stock-like liquid. The best restaurants and food vendors will use this over powdered methods as it definitely makes a difference to the overall quality of your dish.
Many people fight over which type of grain should and shouldn’t be used in the best paella in Sydney. Short-grained rice is the preferred choice with bomba being the go to for most high quality dishes. While the Spanish dish is similar to risotto, you shouldn’t be using this grain in your dish due to the absorption difference. Paella gets its true oomph from the flavours being absorbed into the rice. Risotto doesn’t have the same level in order to achieve the true amount of flavour. Bomba is high in starch which allows the grain to be cooked and simmered for a long time while also keeping its flavour and shape. This small but important detail is why it is the Spanish preference for grains.
