When I first heard of paella, I asked Mom if she could make one.
For the first time, she said she couldn’t. It was one of her regrets—not learning the recipe from Grandma. She said that Grandma made the best paella, which she learned from my Grandpa’s mother. My Great grandfather was pure Spanish so his wife made sure she was able to cook a version of his favorite home dish. However, Spanish cuisine didn’t have a big influence in our household so we rarely ever got to try Spanish dishes.
Paella was just like a fairytale for me until we finally ate at this Spanish restaurant and my parents ordered a small pan. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it. It had a lot of taste going on in one single dish and they’re fighting inside my mouth for dominance. It was overwhelming.
I have long since tried to find a version that would cater to my taste because Mom had kept insisting that I would love it if it was my Grandma’s paella that I tasted first. With her words ringing in my ears, I was patient. After days of scouring for the right recipe, this one emerged. I’m pretty quite sure this was the closest I could get to my Grandma’s mystery paella.
USE THE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE AND INGREDIENTS.
Quick Tip: If you’re a seafood lover, you can add squid for more of that seafood flavor.
