what is paparika

Rahul Palit
  • 3727 views
  • 3 Comments

3 Comments

pierino September 19, 2016
As Smaug has told you. The term "paprika" covers a multitude of sins. For a long time Spanish pimenton, of which there are several types, was known here as "Spanish paprika". Paprika itself refers to the Hungarian variety which can be sweet or hot, but honestly the difference between the two is almost undetectable, at least for what we get in supermarkets here.
 
C S. September 19, 2016
Paprika, is dried, pulverized red chilis. It can be either sweet or piquant, smoked or unsmoked. It is used as both a flavoring and a garnish.
 
Smaug September 19, 2016
Which raises the question, what is a chili (or chile, chilli)? I've generally used it exclusively for Mexican or TexMex varieties, some limit it to hot types- seems to be increasingly used as a generic term for all varieties. Paprika is made from European cultivars of Capsicum Annuum, the genus that includes most of the edible peppers. There are thousands of known cultivars of this species, which has been in cultivation since ancient times. I've grown a handful of quite separate varieties billed as "the authentic paprika pepper"; I suppose all of them are used in different regions and probably plenty more.
 
Recommended by Food52