Spanish Word for Rice

The Spanish word "arroz" means rice in English.

Rice is of great significance to the Spanish as they consume approximately 8 kilos of this staple food per head every year. It is used in a wide variety of recipes around what could be called the "paella theme", which uses the characteristic short grained rice to absorb the flavours of the broth.

Most rice that is consumed in Spain is grown in a number of areas close to the coast. Three areas of Spain, namely Valencia, Delta del Ebro, and Calasparra in Murcia, are protected by denominación de origin. There is also a small rice growing area close to Pals in L'Emporadà.

For many centuries, rice growing was restricted by the presence of malaria. This disease was dreaded so much that a royal decree was passed in 11th-century Valencia that sentenced any farmer to death who planted rice too close to villages and towns. For centuries after this time, there was conflict between rice growers and the authorities who passed law after law restricting rice fields to wetlands that were unsuitable for other types of crops.