Virgen De La Esperanza – Calasparra Rice 1kg

$14.95

Calasparra rice is perfect for absorbing the flavours of Spain’s famous dish paella, and other rice-based dishes.

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Description

This Virgen De La Esperanza Calasparra Rice is a unique, centuries-old short grain rice with a leisurely maturing process – 30% slower than other kinds of rice. This longer growing cycle allows kernels to be exceptionally dehydrated thereby making it ready to absorb even more of the sauce and flavours of paella broth and other Mediterranean recipes.

To make semi-brown rice, the farmers in Calasparra removes just the outer shell of the rice while retaining much of the nutritional value of brown rice. True brown rice would take twice as long to cook which would not work for paella. So this type of rice offers the best of both worlds, the benefits of brown rice but the same cooking time as white rice. Since rice is the main ingredient of paella, using top quality paella rice is essential. Calasparra rice has been used for paellas for centuries as the grains can be cooked al dente but still be filled with all of the flavours of the paella broth.

Calasparra is a spectacular rice growing region where cool mountain water floods fields using a aqueducts engineered by the Romans.

The Virgen De La Esperanza Calasparra Rice is ideal for paella because it is able to absorb all the delicious flavors of the broth without breaking down. Normal brown rice will break apart and create a mushy paella while Calasparra semi brown rice retains its shape and texture. Calasparra rice is grown in cold water conditions which means the rice takes much longer to mature. The
result is a much harder, more dehydrated rice that can absorb much more broth and still stay al dente. Other short grained rice will not work for paella. Arborio would be too creamy while Asian short grained rice produces a sticky result.

This is why most chefs use Calasparra rice to make paella