Paprika 113011 225807528 2008-07-15T14:27:36Z Kartmen 4039406 {{otheruses}} [[Image:Spanishsmokedpaprika.jpg|thumb|280px|A small bowl of hot smoked Spanish paprika]] <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Paprikapowder@paste.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Processed paprika, sold as powder or a paste.{{deletable image-caption}}]] --> '''Paprika''' is a spice made from the grinding of dried sweet red or green [[bell pepper]]s (''[[Capsicum annuum]]''). In many [[Europe|European]] countries, the name ''paprika'' also refers to bell peppers themselves. The seasoning is used in many cuisines to add colour and flavour to dishes. According to the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', the English word comes from the [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] "paprika," which means 'pepper' (the red spice or the vegetable). This derives from the [[Serbian language|Serbian]] and [[Croatian language|Croatian]] "paprena" that means "the one that is hot" and it is derived from Serbian and Croatian noun ''papar'', "pepper", which in turn was borrowed from the Latin "piper", for "pepper." [[Image:Paprika.fruits.three.j.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Capsicum fruit which comes in various shapes and colours can be used to make paprika.]]<!--I've never heard of paprika made from yellow or green chilis--> Paprika is used as an ingredient in a broad variety of dishes throughout the world. Paprika (''pimentón'' in [[Spain]], ''colorau'' in [[Portugal]], ''chiltoma'' in [[Nicaragua]], but these "paprikas" are not made exclusively from bell peppers, other varieties are used, and there are several hot and sweet "paprikas") is principally used to season and colour rices, stews, and soups, such as [[goulash]]. In [[Spain]], [[Germany]], [[Hungary]], [[Slovakia]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Croatia]], [[Serbia]], [[Romania]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Turkey]] and [[Portugal]], paprika is also used in the preparation of [[sausage]]s as an ingredient that is mixed with meats and other spices. Paprika may be [[Smoking (food)|smoked]] for additional flavour. In Poland, [[tin can|cans]] with ''Paprykarz szczeciński'' are made by many seafood producers, of steamed sea fish, rice, paprika, and onion. In India, a similar powdered spice comes from a fruit locally called 'deghi mirchi', which is grown widely and takes on a slightly different flavour, depending on local soil and climatic conditions. The hottest paprikas are not the bright red ones, but rather the palest red and light brown coloured ones. Types of Hungarian paprika (Hungarian name in parentheses): *Special Quality (Különleges): The mildest and brightest red of all Hungarian paprikas, with excellent aroma. *Delicate (Édes csemege): Ranging from light to dark red, a mild paprika with a rich flavour. *Exquisite Delicate (Csemegepaprika): Similar to Delicate, but more pungent. *Pungent Exquisite Delicate (Csípős Csemege, Pikáns): An even more pungent Delicate. *Rose (Rózsa): Pale Red in colour with strong aroma and mild pungency. *Noble Sweet (Édesnemes): The most commonly exported paprika; bright red and slightly pungent. *Half-Sweet (Félédes): A blend of mild and pungent paprikas; medium pungency. *Hot (Erős): Light brown in colour, this is the hottest of all the paprikas. Hungarian paprika is mainly made in the cities of [[Kalocsa]] and [[Szeged]], both areas in the southern part of Hungary. In [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] and some other languages, such as [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[German language|German]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]] and [[Korean language|Korean]], the word "paprika" is used for the fruits, the [[bell pepper]] or [[chili pepper|hot pepper]] too, of which the spices are made. == Health benefits == Paprika is unusually high in [[vitamin C]]. Hungary's 1937 Nobel prize-winning [[Albert Szent-Györgyi]] first discovered [http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/WG/Views/Exhibit/narrative/szeged.html the vitamin in paprika peppers] in 1932. The capsicum peppers used for paprika contain six to nine times as much vitamin C as [[Tomato|tomatoes]] by weight. High heat leaches the vitamins from peppers, thus commercially-dried peppers are not as nutritious as those dried naturally in the sun. ==Origin== Red paprika originated in Southern [[Mexico]], [[Central America]], and the [[Antilles]] Islands, where [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] used it for healing and seasoning. [[Christopher Columbus]] returned from the New World with unknown spices with a never-before-seen present: a paprika plant. At first, the plants were used to decorate baroque gardens of nobility in Europe. The plant also arrived in Turkey via trade routes. From there it came to [[Hungary]] through the [[Balkans]]. In the second half of the 16th century, Margit Széchy, a noble lady already had a plant in her garden called the Turkish pepper (at that time also called Indian pepper or heathen pepper). The name ‘paprika’ came from the 18th Century as a diminutive form for the south-slavish name of pepper (papar), then after the Hungarian usage, the word became international and universal. The first note mentioning red pepper in Szeged dates back to 1748, the word paprika stood in an account book. In Hungary, paprika was first used as a cure for intermittent fever, it later became a typical spice of Hungarian cooking. == External links == * [http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c203C.html Nutrition Facts and Analysis] from [http://www.nutritiondata.com NutritionData.com] ==See also== * [[Capsicum]] * [[Cayenne pepper]] {{Herbs & spices}} [[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine]] [[Category:Bulgarian cuisine]] [[Category:Serbian cuisine]] [[Category:Chili peppers]] [[Category:Vegetable-like fruits]] [[Category:Hungarian cuisine]] [[Category:Spanish cuisine]] [[Category:Spices]] [[Category:Portuguese cuisine]] [[Category:Medicinal plants]] [[bg:Червен пипер]] [[cs:Paprika]] [[da:Chili (krydderi)]] [[de:Paprika]] [[eo:Papriko]] [[es:Pimentón]] [[fr:Paprika]] [[gl:Pemento (condimento)]] [[hr:Čili]] [[it:Paprica]] [[he:פפריקה]] [[hu:Paprika]] [[nl:Paprikapoeder]] [[ja:パプリカ]] [[no:Paprika]] [[nn:Paprika]] [[pl:Papryka (kuchnia)]] [[pt:Páprica]] [[qu:Uchu]] [[ro:Capsicum]] [[ru:Паприка (специя)]] [[sk:Paprika ročná]] [[sl:Paprika (začimba)]] [[sq:Capsicum]] [[sv:Paprika]] [[tg:Қаламфур]] [[tr:Biber]]