Arroz a banda is a traditional Spanish rice dish similar to paella, but cooked slightly differently. Instead of cooking everything together in one pan, the rice and seafood are cooked separately and combined before serving.
Start by cooking the seafood – such as prawns, squid, mussels or clams – in a pot of boiling water until fully cooked. Remove the seafood and set it aside, keeping the cooking liquid.
Next, sauté chopped onion and garlic in a paella pan or large, shallow skillet until soft. Add diced tomato and cook for a few minutes until it breaks down.
Add the rice and stir well to coat the grains in the oil and spices. Then add enough of the reserved seafood cooking liquid to cover everything, along with saffron, paprika, salt and pepper.
Once the liquid boils, lower the heat and simmer the rice until cooked and the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick and cooks evenly.
While the rice cooks, prepare the seafood by removing shells or bones and cutting it into small pieces. When the rice is ready, add the seafood back to the pan and stir to combine.
Once the arroz a banda is done, garnish it with chopped parsley and lemon wedges and serve hot. It’s tasty and satisfying, with tender seafood and perfectly cooked rice – a favorite in Spain’s coastal regions.