Paila facts for kids
A paila is a special kind of cooking pot or bowl. It's often a large, shallow pan made of metal or clay. People in several South American countries use pailas to cook and also to serve food.
Sometimes, dishes are baked right in the clay paila. This is great because clay holds heat well, keeping your food warm for a long time! The word paila can also mean the yummy dishes served in these pots, like paila marina. A similar pot in Spain is called a paella.
Contents
What is a Paila?
A paila is a wide, shallow cooking pot. It can be made from metal, like copper, or from earthenware (a type of clay). These pots are used for cooking many different kinds of food.
They are also used as serving dishes. This means you can cook your meal in the paila and then bring the whole pot to the table. This is especially common with clay pailas.
Where Does the Word "Paila" Come From?
The word paila comes from an old French word, paele. This word itself came from the Latin word patĕlla. People started using "paila" in Spain way back in the 1500s.
You might hear smaller pailas called pailita or very large ones called pailón. Today, "paila" is used a lot in Latin America. In Spain, a similar word, paílla, is still used in some areas.
How Pailas Are Used in Different Countries
Pailas are used in many unique ways across South America. Each country has its own special dishes and uses for this versatile pot.
Pailas in Ecuador and Colombia
In Ecuador, large, heavy copper pailas are famous. They are used to make traditional pork fritada. But they have another cool use too!
People in Ecuador and Nariño, Colombia, use these copper pailas to make "ice pail." They place the paila on ice and add fruit and other ingredients. Then they stir it to create delicious sorbets and ice creams!
Pailas in Chile and Peru
In Chile and Peru, clay pailas are very popular. They are often used to bake cornbread. They also cook other special dishes, like "pan marina."
One famous dish is paila marina. It's a tasty seafood soup often served right in the paila.
Pailas in Bolivia
In Bolivia, especially in the Cochabamba region, pailas are used for cooking a popular dish called chicharrón. This dish is made from crispy pork cracklings.
Gallery
See also
In Spanish: Paila para niños
