Paprika
- This article is about the pepper fruit. For the 1991 film, see Paprika (film).
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Paprika, Capsicum annuum, is a sweet-to-mildly hot cultivar of the chile pepper of the family Solanaceae), it is cultivated for its fruit, which are dried and used as a spice or seasoning. C.annuum is a native of South America, however it is cultivated most extensively in Hungary and the English word was borrowed directly from Hungarian (its ultimate origin, like that of "pepper," is the Latin "piper"). The word paprika is used to describe both the fruit and the spice.
Types of paprika
Paprika is principally used as an ingredient in a broad variety of dishes throughout the world. Paprika, or pimentón as it is called in Spain, is principally used to flavor, color and odor rices, stews, and soups. Paprika is also used Spain, Germany and Turkey in the preparation of sausages as an ingredient that is mixed with meats and other spices.
The term paprika more particularly refers to the sweet capsicum varieties of dehydrated fruits as well as the ground spice. The term sweet (or "dulce" in Spanish, as in "pimenton dulce") refers to the fact that this capsicum variety is quite mild.
There are many and increasing number of capsicum varieties that are being developed to satisfy the increasing demand for spicier paprika as international cuisine, principally spicier Mexican, Latin, Chinese, and Indian recipes, go mainstream in the US and European markets.
The paprika plant
The paprika plant is a herbaceous annual, with a densely branched stem. The plant reached .5 to 1.5 m (20 - 60 in). Single white flowers bear the fruit which is green when unripe, changing to red, brown or purple..Only red-ripening fruits are used for paprika. In the Northern hemisphere they are harvested from August through September.
Paprika plants tolerate nearly every climate and are grown all over the world. A fairly warm climate is necessary for a strong aroma.
Nutritional value
Paprika is noted for its high vitamin C content (150 to 250 mg/100 g). In fact, vitamin C was first isolated (by Hungarian scientist Albert Szent-Györgyi) from Hungarian paprika. The paprika with pointed tips or cherry shaped minis have especially high vitamin C content and are usually very hot. The carotene (vitamin A source) content of the fruit is 10 mg/100g; in addition, it is high in vitamin B1 and B2.
The spicy, hot species have a capsaicin content over 1000 mg per fruit, while others display 250 to 500 mg.
In 2004, considerable damage was done to the image and goodwill of Hungarian paprika, when some local manufacturers and packaging companies were discovered to have illegally blended it with imported tropical paprika that was contaminated with aflatoxin, a mold-generated toxin.
World trade
Peru is probably the world's leading producer of paprika, exporting as much as 75,000 metric tons in 2005. The United States, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Hungary are significant producers as well. The United States is the world's leading consumer of paprika, consuming as much as 40,000 metric tons in 2005.
In the United States, California, New Mexico and western Texas are the main producers.
External links
- http://www.cookbook.hu/angol_receptek/PaprikaE.html
- http://www.museum.hu/search/museum_en.asp?ID=289 in English and
- http://www.mkk.szie.hu/dep/kerteszet/ta/zoldseg/paprika/index.htm in Hungarian.
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Green paprika, for eating fresh -
Green paprika, pickled and stuffed with cabbage
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Paprika, when they are dried and turn red for use as a spice -
Processed paprika, sold as a very hot powder or a paste
