Arroz a Banda: Alicante’s Classic Coastline Rice

Rice plays a starring role in Alicante cuisine, especially along the coast. This is the secret behind arroz a banda’s perennial success: the dish shines not because of flashy technique, but because the quality of its ingredients elevates every bite into an authentic flavor explosion. The will to preserve pristine products is what makes a robust arroz a banda truly memorable.

The core of this dish lies in the ñora pepper, which forms the backbone of the aroma and the base for the seafood broth. When the ñora is kept crisp and impeccable, and the fish stock is prepared with care, the result is a dish that embodies tradition. These three elements—ñora, fresh fish stock, and well-chosen seafood—are the pillars on which arroz a banda rests.

Here is a clear guide to the traditional banda rice of Alicante, with an emphasis on its distinctive character and the steps to recreate it faithfully:

Five ways to tackle the kitchen and get to work

Arroz a banda is a dish built around precision and patience. The following line of notes keeps the spirit intact while offering practical steps for home cooks.

Arroz a banda is a dish to savor. It is a traditional dish that showcases the best of the coast and the sea. It is an invitation to slow down and enjoy the process, from stock preparation to the final simmer. The result is a dish that speaks of the sea, the sun, and the land where it originated.

400 grams of rice

1 kg of white fish for broth

1 large squid

Rice shrimp to taste

2 peppers

2 tomatoes

2 heads of garlic

1 cup of olive oil

2.5 liters of water

1/2 red pepper (some regional variations omit it)

Saffron

Salt

The key to a perfect arroz a banda lies in a few careful steps rather than a long list of tricks. Here is the sequence that helps ensure the dish never veers off course:

1. Stock the pot with fish and keep the Whitebait fresh.
2. Toast the ñoras gently in a pan until they release their aroma, avoiding any browning that would make them bitter, then set them aside.
3. Crush several garlic cloves with a mortar, mixing them with the softened ñora and a few parsley sprigs. Fry the grated tomato and fold in the mortar mixture to form a rich sofrito.
4. Combine tomato sauce, garlic, and ñora with the smoked stock that was boiled separately. Keep the fish separate from the oil and clean before use.
5. Let the mixture simmer for at least thirty minutes to develop depth.
6. On a paella stove, prepare a sauce with finely chopped cuttlefish and rice shrimp, adding pepper if desired.
7. Stir in the rice and mix with the sofrito to coat each grain.
8. Pour in roughly twice the volume of rice with a touch more broth to ensure the grains open up and stay tender.
9. Top the broth and rice with a hint of saffron to perfume the dish.
10. Simmer for about 20 minutes without stirring to form a cohesive crust and evenly cooked grains.

This method highlights the essence of Alicante’s arroz a banda: balance between aromatic sofrito, a robust fish stock, and the respectful handling of seafood. The result is a dish that carries its coastal heritage in every spoonful, inviting diners to linger over the last bites as the flavors settle into memory.