Collected Paella Cooking Lessons

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Do admit now that you associate Spain with the ever-famous Paella, almost everyone does and I don’t blame you at all, they are real tasty morsels of rice, soaked in the sweet broth of meat and seafood and bathed in the glorious colour of gold.

It was 17 November 2008 in Munich.  Six of us gathered in our too small yet modern studio apartment that we rented from graduate medical student while she spent a semester in Bern, Switzerland.  One Swiss from the Alps didn’t want the seafood while the other one from the Rhine river wanted it so much.  The head chef ie Spanish, was too busy discussing vertebraes mobilization techniques with everyone.  That left me and the American-Chinese to helm at the stove.  My first lesson for paella technique : Don’t stir the rice when its cooking!!

Four months later, my brother and his partner arrived for a two-week long trip to Munich.  Upon knowing their host was Spanish as they dragged their luggage into our apartment one floor above a bakery and pharmacy, “Can you cook paella for us please?” My second lesson for paella cooking : After adding the stock, cook the rice on low fire for 20 minutes.  Then turn off the fire, cover the pan with a cloth for 10 minutes before serving.

Winding forward 10 months later in the town of L’Bisbal in Catalunya, I had my first real restaurant paella.  Deep orange, moist but not mush like risotto.  One word : Delicious!  My third lesson for paella cooking : The locals do it much better.

My fourth lesson for paella cooking : The secret ingredient is chorizo, preferably from deep in the Iberian peninsula of Salamanca.  At the Barcelona apartment, I watched C prepare her version of the paella and tried my best to memorize the recipe and techniques visually as my limited and elementary proficiency of Castellano was hindering my learning process.  She chops, cuts and cooks so fast that I cannot formulate my questions quick enough.  And if I was ever successful, it would take me twice as long to comprehend half of what she’s explaining.  That brings me to my fifth lesson for paella cooking : The ability to listen to Spanish spoken in Spanish speed.

6 January 2009.  It had been one of the coldest winters in Barcelona and we had spent the night before jumping around to keep warm while waiting for the arrival of the Three Kings.  Los Reyes Magos, are the ones who bring gifts for everyone during the Christmas season.  Santa seemed to have missed out Spain in his delivery and maybe he sent these Kings, 2 weeks after Christmas.  The next day, we were invited to J’s lovely house in the outskirt suburb in Barcelona for paella.  J has an outdoor chimney specially made for cooking with wood.  I stood in the cold, helping him add firewood and watched him prepare his version, with pride and dignity.  The afternoon was a long one with cava, vino tinto and a special Italian profiterole dessert made by a  charming Italian MotoGP rider who was in town for a couple of days.  Typical Spanish culture, every meal is a feast and a feast we had indeed as we finally made our way home at 6pm in the evening.  Sixth lesson for paella cooking : Make it a feast!

With six lessons under my belt, I confidently agreed to cook paella for thirteen here in Kuala Lumpur.  Well, with F of course.  We were provided with great ingredients by the host, such as the free range, self-farmed chicken from Cameron Highlands.  Almost after two hours of preparation and cooking, we feasted and feasted on our successful paella in Malaysia, M’s amazing tiramisu, cheese tarts and carrot cakes, B’s few good bottles of wine and R’s creamy creme caramel.  Lunch officially was over at 6pm and our dinner appointment was unadjusted at Malaysian time, 7pm!

Paella catering anyone?