description
Paprika is a spice made from ground, dried fruits of Capsicum annuum, either
bell pepper or chili pepper varieties or mixtures thereof.
Capsicum annuum is in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. It is an upright
perennial or annual shrub usually less than 1 m tall, with small, white,
pendent flowers and elongated, yellow, orange or red fruits (berries). It
can be distinguished from other types of domesticated peppers by flowers
that are solitary rather than in groups, and filaments (thread-like stalks
supporting the anther) that are not purple
“Regular” paprika is the most commonly found and is a blend of sweet and hot
varieties and has a relatively neutral flavor.
Sweet paprika (commonly labeled as Hungarian sweet paprika) has a rich,
fruity flavor like a red bell pepper with no heat.
Hot paprika is made from dried chili peppers and will be more similar to
cayenne, but less spicy.
Spanish smoked paprika (sometimes labeled as Pimenton de la Vera) is made
from dried chilis that are smoked over oak giving the spice a woodsy, smoky
flavor. It can be sweet or hot.
common names & nomenclature
The English word "paprika" came from the Hungarian word paprika, which was
a diminutive of the Serbo-Croatian language word papar (meaning "pepper"),
which in turn came from the Latin piper or Modern Greek piperi.
Also known as:
Paprika, Hungarian paprika, pimenton
climate
Capsicum annum prefers full sun in a warm climate, these plants are mostly
perennial in sub-tropical and tropical regions; however, they are usually
grown as annuals in temperate climates.
soil
Prefers warm, moist, nutrient-rich soil.
growing
Start seeds indoors and sow 1/4 inch deep, 8 to 12 weeks before the last
frost. You can pre-soak seeds in warm water overnight prior to planting.
After planting, keep moist and warm in a sunny location. Good results are
also achieved by putting plastic cling wrap over the containers to create a
hothouse environment. Remove when seedlings emerge.
harvesting
Harvest hot peppers when red for spicier paprika and harvest sweet peppers
when ripe for making milder paprika. These can be blended together to
achieve the level of flavor desired.
preserving
To dry, string hot peppers through stem with a sewing needle thread or
fishing string. Then hang in a sunny window. Once dry, they may be ground
into powder. Different types of peppers or drying methods will result in
different types of paprika. Store dried paprika in a cool, dry place in an
airtight container.
caution
Caution should be taken when processing or handling this pepper as it is
very hot and you would not want to touch your eyes or similar areas after
handling.
