User:Sab4yq/Arroz a la valenciana

Arroz a la valenciana, or Valencian rice, refers to the multitude of rice dishes from diverse cuisines of the world, that originate from the tradition of rice-growing in the city of Valencia, found in the East of Spain.

If you think that Arroz a la valenciana comes from paella, it’s actually the other way around; The method to prepare Arroz a la valenciana has been practiced since the colonial era, and has been found in the cuisine from Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Portugal, Uraguay, Venezuela…

Including in the Filipino cuisine, where you find arosbalensiyana. In contrast, Paella Valenciana, as we know today, would not emerge until much later in the late 19th century, within the rural fields of Valencia.

There is a great variety of recipes for Arroz a la valenciana; however, they all consist of dry rice (without broth) and are colored by various spices (originally saffron), in addition they include vegetables, meat, and seafood.

History
Although rice was probably grown in Valencia before the Moorish era, it was the Arabs who furthered its cultivation and diversification of use. This is reflected in both the medieval recipes of Christians and Muslims, in which it is evident that they were already seasoning their rice with saffron in this era; an example of this is arròs en Cassola al forn by Mestre Robert (16th century).

As time went on, the culture of rice became revered in Valencia, adding vegetables and meats. In the imperial era, Arroz a la valenciana was spread to Spanish colonies in the new world, hence why Arroz a la valenciana can be found in Nicaragua and the Philippines. The recipe has been adapted over time to include new ingredients and to cater to American taste preferences.

The first written mention of Arroz a la valenciana is found in a manuscript from the 18th century: Avisos y instrucciones per lo principiant cuyiner by the Franciscan monk Josep Orri. Shortly after, in 1780 Friar Gerónimo de San Pelayo published a cookbook in Mexico City about Arroz a la valenciana. Additionally, in another Mexican cookbook called New and Simple Art of Cooking (1836) by Antonia Carrillo, there is a Arroz a la valenciana recipe that includes green chiles and saffron. The dish also appears in a cookbook published in La Habana in 1862.

José Castro and Serreno commented that no province knows how to make Arroz a la valenciana like Valencia. During a religious event in 1889 in Bergara, Spain they served the guests Arroz a la valenciana. In his General Dictionary of cooking from 1892, Ángel Muro included a recipe for Arroz a la valenciana to pay homage to the “country of rice”. In the 1890s the term “arroz a la paella” (‘in a frying pan’) began to be used as synonymous with Arroz a la valenciana. In 1903, the chef Fracés Auguste Escoffier dedicated a few pages to riz valenciennes in his first publication of Le Guide Cullinaire.

Distinction between Arroz a la valenciana y Paella valenciana
Both names are frequently used indistinctly to refer to similar preparations of rice, and, in fact paella can be considered as a specific type of Arroz a la valenciana.

The main difference is that paella only has 10 ingredients, which are: demijohn, tomato, Ferraúra bean, chicken, rabbit, salt, olive oil, round rice, water, and saffron. These ingredients were endorsed by the Valencian chef Rafael Vidal in 2000 and are acknowledged by the Valencian Government. In contrast, Arroz a la valenciana is not standardized, and there is more than one recipe and instead a “family of recipes” or a general method to cook the dish.

Bolivian Cuisine
In Bolivia, Arroz a la valenciana is a very popular dish that includes chicken, sometimes chorizo, and a variety of vegetables like peas, onion, tomatoes, green beans (string beans), carrots as well as potatoes from a variety of local imilla. The color of the rice comes from the use of paprika or saffron, and red chilli pepper which gives the dish some punch.

Chilean Cuisine
The Chilean style of preparing Arroz a la valenciana differs in its use of curry or turmeric to color the rice; although, occasionally it is prepared with saffron, like in the original Spanish recipe. Sometimes it is called “paella Chilean”, and contains primarily an assortment of seafood: clams, shrimp (prawns), Chilean mussels, and clams. Ingredients can be adjusted to the taste profile of each location, and for example one can add sausages or chicken. When using only vegetables, it is referred to as “Arroz a la Jardinera”.

Colombian Cuisine
Arroz a la valenciana is a typical coastal dish in Colombia. It usually includes pork or chicken, alongside fish and seafood. And it is mainly seasoned with saffron.

Filipino Cuisine
In the Philippines, “Arroz a la valenciana  (aros balensiyana'' in Tagalog) is called the paella of the poor. It is made with a variety of local sticky rice called malagkit. The vegetables vary from one place to another, although generally it only includes onion and pepper. In addition, coconut milk is used in this version of Arroz a la valenciana.

It's a custom, similar to some places in Latin America, to flavor the plate with alcohol. For example one could add white wine or beer to the plate, and use butter instead of oil. It also includes pieces of chicken, and at times Bilbao sausage (a variety of local sausage).

Mariana Cuisine
The recipe for Arroz a la valenciana made its way to the Mariana Islands, which is located in the Pacific, during the Spanish colonial era. Between the chamorros- its inhabitants- it is known as balensiåna and is seasoned with achiote.

Nicaraguan Cuisine
The Nicaraguan recipe of Arroz a la Valenciana is different from the Spanish original, since it includes butter instead of oil, onion, tomato sauce, chiltoma (sweet pepper), and other vegetables according to the preferences of the chef. In terms of meat, it usually includes chicken, ham or choricitos. It is one of the typical small plates of rice in Nicaragua, and at times it is called “Arroz de pinata”, for its festive character.

Portuguese Cuisine
Arroz a la valenciana is found throughout all of Portugal, and includes many types of meat (from chicken to pork, or even sausages) and seafood or squid, as well as diverse vegetables like peas (sweet peas), red peppers…etc. The color of rice depends on the use of saffron. Another common spice used in this version of Arroz a la valenciana is garlic. Frequently it includes white wine as well.

Salvadoran Cuisine
In El Salvador, Arroz a la valenciana usually includes hard boiled eggs and several pieces of chicken, like the breast, the gizzard or even the liver. Additionally, a variety of vegetables are added to it, like onion, peas (sweet peas), sweet corn (maize), or carrots. In terms of spice, it is common to use curry or paprika.