Natural Living Cuisine

Paprika

September 6th, 2007 | by Ingrid

Imagine sometime in the years 1538 – 1548, a little fiery fruit from South America arrived by the hands of Spanish Turks to make its debut in the Eastern European country of Hungary. The locals refer to it as “Red Gold”, and one could say it is almost synonymous with the country’s name. What is it? It is Hungarian paprika.

Cultivated by the Hungarians to perfection this beloved fruit has delighted taste buds in such signature dishes as Chicken Paprikash (Csírkepaprikás), Hungarian Goulash (Gulyas) and Fish Soup (Halászlé). Kalocsa and Szeged, are areas well known for paprika cultivation. Kalocsa celebrates “Paprika Days” a huge event held in September during the annual harvest.

In Hungary, fresh and dried peppers are both referred to as paprika. Fresh green, red, and yellow peppers are used raw, pickled, or cooked. They contain a healthy dose of nutrients like antioxidant vitamin A and C to name two. Dried ground paprika is used as a spice and to add color to a dish. Though dried, it retains a high level of vitamin A.

Hungarian paprika has a greater depth of flavor and aromatic intensity in comparison to its American counterpart; this is mainly due to growing conditions and processing techniques. Its color ranges from bright red to light brown, the brightest red paprika is generally the sweet variety. The hot variety is generally pale red to light brown in color. Here are some general tips and information on purchasing and storage,…learn more…Peppers, grow them. It is easy, give it a try.

If you enjoy paprika you might like to try:Fresh Cucumber Salad with Hungarian Paprika