Paprika (
US , ;
UK ,
) is a
spice
A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...
made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from ''
Capsicum annuum'' varietals in the Longum
group, which also includes
chili pepper
Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
s, but the peppers used for paprika tend to be milder and have thinner flesh. In some languages, but not English, the word ''paprika'' also refers to the plant and the fruit from which the spice is made, as well as to peppers in the Grossum
group (e.g.
bell peppers).
All capsicum varieties are descended from wild ancestors in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
, in particular
Central Mexico, where they have been cultivated for centuries. The peppers were subsequently introduced to the
Old World, when peppers were brought to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
in the 16th century. The seasoning is used to add color and flavor to many types of dishes in diverse cuisines.
The trade in paprika expanded from the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
and ultimately reached
Central Europe
Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...
through the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, which was then under
Ottoman rule. This helps explain the
Hungarian origin of the English term. In
Spanish, paprika has been known as ''pimentón'' since the 16th century, when it became a typical ingredient in the cuisine of western
Extremadura.
Despite its presence in Central Europe since the beginning of Ottoman conquests, it did not become popular in
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...
until the late 19th century.
Paprika can range from mild to hot – the flavor also varies from country to country – but almost all plants grown produce the sweet variety.
Sweet paprika is mostly composed of the
pericarp, with more than half of the seeds removed, whereas hot paprika contains some seeds, stalks,
ovule
In seed plants, the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells. It consists of three parts: the '' integument'', forming its outer layer, the ''nucellus'' (or remnant of the megasporangium), and the ...
s, and
calyces.
The red, orange or yellow color of paprika is due to its content of
carotenoids.
History and etymology
Peppers, the raw material in paprika production, originated from
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
, where they grow in the wild in
Central Mexico and have for centuries been cultivated by the peoples of Mexico. The peppers were later introduced to the
Old World, to Spain in the 16th century, as part of the
Columbian Exchange
The Columbian exchange, also known as the Columbian interchange, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the New World (the Americas) in ...
.
The plant used to make the Hungarian version of the spice was grown in 1569 by the
Turks at
Buda (now part of
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population o ...
, the capital of Hungary). Central European paprika was
hot until the 1920s, when a
Szeged breeder found a plant that produced sweet fruit, which he grafted onto other plants.
The first recorded use of the word ''paprika'' in English is from 1896,
although an earlier reference to
Turkish paprika was published in 1831.
The word derives from the
Hungarian word ''paprika'', which in turn came from the Latin ''
piper'' or modern Greek ''piperi'', ultimately from Sanskrit ''pippalī''.
''Paprika'' and similar words, including ''peperke'', ''piperke'', and ''paparka'', are used in various languages for
bell peppers.
Production and varieties
Paprika is produced in various places including Argentina, Mexico, Hungary, Serbia, Spain, the Netherlands, China, and some regions of the United States.
Hungarian
Hungary is a major source of paprika,
[ and it is the spice most closely associated with Hungary.] The spice was first used in Hungarian cuisine
Hungarian or Magyar cuisine is the cuisine characteristic of the nation of Hungary and its primary ethnic group, the Magyars. Traditional Hungarian dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables, fruits, bread, and dairy products. ...
in the early 19th century. It is available in different grades:
* Noble sweet (''Édesnemes'') – slightly pungent (the most commonly exported paprika; bright red)
* Special quality (''különleges'') – the mildest (very sweet with a deep bright red color)
* Delicate (''csípősmentes csemege'') – a mild paprika with a rich flavor (color from light to dark red)
* Exquisite delicate (''csemegepaprika'') – similar to ''delicate'', but more pungent
* Pungent exquisite delicate (''csípős csemege, pikáns'') – an even ''more'' pungent version of ''delicate''
* Rose (''rózsa'') – with a strong aroma and mild pungency (pale red)
* Semi-sweet (''félédes'') – a blend of mild and pungent paprikas; medium pungency
* Strong (''erős'') – the hottest paprika (light brown)[
]
Spanish (''pimentón'')
There are three versions of Spanish paprika (''pimentón'') – mild (''pimentón dulce''), mildly spicy (''pimentón agridulce'') and spicy (''pimentón picante'').
The most common Spanish paprika, ''Pimentón de la Vera'', has a distinct smoky flavor and aroma, as it is dried by smoking
Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have b ...
, typically using oak wood. Currently, according to the Denomination of Origin Regulation Council (Consejo Regulador de la DOP "Pimentón de La Vera"), the crop of La Vera paprika covers around 1,500 hectares and has an annual production of 4,500,000 kg, certified as Denomination of Origin.
''Pimentón de Murcia'' is an unsmoked variety made with bola/ñora peppers and traditionally dried in the sun or in kilns.
Usage
Culinary
Paprika is used as an ingredient in numerous dishes throughout the world. It is principally used to season and color rice, stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables a ...
s, and soups, such as goulash, and in the preparation of sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...
s such as Spanish chorizo, mixed with meats and other spices. In the United States, paprika is frequently sprinkled raw on foods as a garnish, but the flavor contained within the oleoresin is more effectively brought out by heating it in oil.
Hungarian national dishes incorporating paprika include ''gulyas'' (goulash), a meat stew, and '' paprikash'' (paprika gravy: a Hungarian recipe combining meat or chicken, broth, paprika, and sour cream). In Moroccan cuisine, paprika (''tahmira'') is usually augmented by the addition of a small amount of olive oil blended into it. Many dishes call for paprika (''colorau'') in Portuguese cuisine
The oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, entitled ''Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal'', from the 16th century, describes many popular dishes of meat, fish, poultry and others.
''Culinária Portuguesa'', by António-Maria De O ...
for taste and color.
Carotenoids
The red, orange, or yellow color of paprika powder derives from its mix of carotenoids. Yellow-orange paprika colors derive primarily from α-carotene and β-carotene (provitamin A A provitamin is a substance that may be converted within the body to a vitamin. The term previtamin is a synonym.
The term "provitamin" is used when it is desirable to label a substance with little or no vitamin activity, but which can be converted ...
compounds), zeaxanthin
Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoids in nature, and is used in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, goji (wolfberries) ...
, and β-cryptoxanthin, whereas red colors derive from capsanthin and capsorubin. One study found high concentrations of zeaxanthin
Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoids in nature, and is used in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, goji (wolfberries) ...
in orange paprika. The same study found that orange paprika contains much more lutein than red or yellow paprika.
Nutrition
In a typical serving size of one half teaspoon (2 grams), paprika supplies 6 calorie
The calorie is a unit of energy. For historical reasons, two main definitions of "calorie" are in wide use. The large calorie, food calorie, or kilogram calorie was originally defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of o ...
s, is 10% water, and provides 21% of the Daily Value of vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably ...
. It provides no other significant amounts of nutrient
A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excre ...
s.
See also
* Ajvar
* Cayenne pepper
* Chili powder
Chili powder (also spelled chile, chilli, or, alternatively, powdered chili) is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices (in which case it is also sometimes known as chili ...
* Crushed red pepper
* Food powder
Food powder or powdery food is the most common format of dried solid food material that meets specific quality standards, such as moisture content, particle size, and particular morphology. Common powdery food products include milk powder, tea powd ...
* List of ''Capsicum'' cultivars
* List of smoked foods
This is a list of smoked foods. Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Foods have been smoked by humans throughout history. Meats and f ...
* Paprika Tap de Cortí
* Pimiento
A pimiento or pimento (or cherry pepper) is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper ('' Capsicum annuum'') that measures 3 to 4 in (7 to 10 cm) long and 2 to 3 in (5 to 7 cm) wide (medium, elongate).
Pimientos can have vari ...
Gallery
File:Paprika.fruits.three.j.jpg, The various shapes and colors of the peppers used to prepare paprika
File:Paprika pepper farmer in Tanzania (5761933485).jpg, Paprika pepper farmer in Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
File:Cachi 02.jpg, Red peppers in Cachi, Argentina
Cachi is a small city in Salta Province Argentina. It is the capital of the Cachi Department.
Etymology
Although it is often stated that the name is derived from Quechuan and means ''salt'' since "the snow of this hill reminds of the color of sa ...
are air-dried before being processed into powder.
File:Dried paprika sale.jpg, Packaged ground and whole dried paprika for sale at a marketplace in Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; names in other languages) is the capital and largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. Nearly 1,166,763 mi ...
, Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hu ...
File:Pimenton-ahumado-candeleda.jpg, Smoked paprika, called ''pimentón'' in Spanish
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Chili peppers
Medicinal plants
Hungarian cuisine
Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine
Bulgarian cuisine
Macedonian cuisine
Moroccan cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Serbian cuisine
Spanish cuisine
Smoked food
Turkish cuisine
Powders
Romani cuisine
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