How to cook an authentic paella

Today is World Paella Day and to celebrate, here’s how to cook an authentic version, based on what I’ve learned living in Valencia, the dish’s spiritual home.

A huge mural of a paella pan in Valencia.

To mark this auspicious date, the World Paella Day Cup takes place in Valencia. The competing chefs are selected by the public and filtered by a jury made up of top professionals.

Each one chooses the paella recipe with which to compete and, as it says on the official website: “...there is only one requirement: t…