Paila marina is a traditional Chilean seafood soup or light stew usually served in a paila (earthenware bowl). It usually contains a shellfish stock base cooked with different kinds of shellfish and fish.What is paila marina www.wisegeek.com. Retrieved 17 February 2013. These are complemented with a variety of herbs and spices such as paprika and parsley.La salvadora paila marina Renata Robbio, emol.com (website of El Mercurio newspaper), 12 February 2010. Retrieved February 2013.
Preparation Onions, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, fish and shellfish (in the shell) are fried together, fish stock is poured over them and the soup is simmered.La salvadora paila marina Renata Robbio, emol.com (website of El Mercurio newspaper), 12 February 2010. Retrieved February 2013.
Traditions It is traditional for groups of friends or family to go to the local seafood market and enjoy a paila marina, especially the morning after a party, when it is believed to aid recovery from a hangover.La salvadora paila marina Renata Robbio, emol.com (website of El Mercurio newspaper), 12 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2012. On January 1, the historic seafood market Mercado Central de Santiago is one of the busiest places in Santiago; Chilean national newspaper La Nación reported that 28,000 people were expected to visit the market on January 1, 2010.Mercado Central espera más de 28.000 mil personas el 1 de enero Jose Antonio Torres, www.lanacion.cl, 31 December 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2013. Popular belief also ascribes aphrodisiac properties to paila marina.Comida afrodisiaca La Cuarta, 16 November 2003. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
In popular culture In the episode "Abiquiu" of the US TV series Breaking Bad, the character Gus Fring, a prominent Chilean methamphetamine distributor in the southwest of the United States, prepares a paila marina for Walter White while explaining the origin of this typical Chilean dish. Gus Fring also prepares a paila marina in the episode "Something Stupid" from the Breaking Bad prequel TV series Better Call Saul.
See also List of fish and seafood soups List of soups List of stews
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