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A truly authentic paella does not contain any fish or shellfish, according to Valencians.
The rice dish, which is widely regarded as a national dish of Spain, is officially recognised as a symbol of Valencian culture.
Getting its name from the Valencian word for “frying pan”, paella has been adapted by chefs across the world, with popular recipes including chicken, pork and seafood.
Both Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay’s go-to paella recipes include peas, chicken, chorizo and prawns.
But new research has found that cooks from Valencia use just ten ingredients when making their national dish, none of which are fish.
These are: rice, olive oil, water, salt, saffron, tomatoes, flat green beans, lima beans, chicken and rabbit.
The study, carried out by scientists at Universidad Católica de Valencia, comes after local Valencian chef Rafael Vidal began a search for a definitive paella recipe.
Researchers surveyed 400 amateur cooks from 266 Valencian towns. They found that more than 90 per cent of people cooked with the same nine ingredients, while rabbit was used by 88.9 per cent of cooks.
Another frequently used ingredient, which didn’t make the top 10 list, is paprika. Paprika was used in 62 per cent of paella recipes.
The study also found similarities in the way the paella is cooked and when it is made. Most locals use a paella pan to make the dish, usually cook for more than three people, and are more likely to make it on a Sunday.
Eight in ten people said they always cook paella for groups of four people or more, and 79 per cent said they usually prepare it on a Sunday.
“Paella Valenciana continues to be a party and celebration dish, the perfect excuse to gather family, friends and guests on Sundays and other special occasions,” the study, published in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, said.
“That social connotation is precisely the reason for its success and how it has become a global recipe.”
In November 2021, the government of Valencia declared paella a protected cultural asset for “the art of uniting and sharing”.
