paprika
What is paprika made from?
What is the finest variety of paprika?
In which cuisines is paprika commonly used?
Is paprika used as a coloring agent?
paprika, spice made from the pods of Capsicum annuum, an annual shrub belonging to the nightshade family, Solanaceae, and native to tropical areas of the Western Hemisphere, including Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies.
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Angiosperm
- Order: Solanales
- Family: Solanaceae
- Genus: Capsicum
- Species: C. annuum
See also list of plants in the family Solanaceae and list of herbs and spices.
Capsicum annuum cultivation and paprika production
C. annuum is cultivated throughout most of the world for its pods, often called chili peppers, or chilies. The species includes most of the sweet peppers and many of the pungent, strong-flavored types. Depending on the variety, the pods may be 0.5 inch to 1 foot (12.5 mm to 0.3 meter) in length, with a long, round, or conical shape, and a yellow, brown, purple, or red color. A spongy central column bears the flat, kidney-shaped seeds.
Crops are planted in early spring and harvested in summer and fall, when the pods are glossy and ripe. The pods are then dried and ground to produce paprika. When mild paprikas are made, the central core is first removed.
Paprika has some sugar content, varying with the variety, and is richer in vitamin C than the citrus fruits. Pungency is imparted by the nitrogen compound capsaicin, which is usually lower in C. annuum than in other plants of the same genus.
Notable varieties
The rose paprika of Hungary is generally considered the finest variety. It is made from choice dark red pods that have a sweet flavor and aroma. A sharper Hungarian variety, Koenigspaprika, or king’s paprika, is made from the whole pepper.
- Related Topics:
- spice and herb
- pepperoni
- ras el hanout
- pimiento
Uses
Paprika is a popular seasoning in many cuisines. Its bright color makes it an excellent garnish for savory, light-colored foods. It is frequently used in the cooking of Spain, Mexico, and the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. It is especially associated with Hungarian cuisine and is essential for such hot, spicy, Hungarian stew dishes as gulyás (called goulash in the United States), pörkölt, paprikás, and tokány. A coloring agent, oleoresin of paprika, is extracted from the ground pods and used to impart a bright red color to meat and sausage products and to other processed foods.