The fresh spiced paprika is very similar to sweet peppers, just a little sharper. It belongs, as the chili, to the plant genus Capsicum and to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The spice paprika - capsicum annuum is the most widespread variety in Europe.
The pepper plant is a perennial shrub, with the cold winters in the north causing the plants to die off. Here, they are then sown every year. They have a stature height of up to several meters and carry egg-shaped green leaves. Their flowers are white during flowering. From them the paprika fruits develop, which first turn green and in mature yellow - red.
The processing form of the peppers contributes to the flavor. The hot paprika powder is made from whole fruits. First, the pods are dried and then ground whole. Thus, they contain the sharp inner walls and seeds of the fruits, which are responsible for the sharpness.
For the mild paprika powder, the pods are gutted after harvest and their sidewalls are removed before being dried and pulverized.
Culinary use of paprika
Paprika powder is the national spice of Hungary. So it was in our region as a spice for goulash. In Hungary, the goulash is made with a lot of mild-spicy paprika and onions. Peppers are generously used for the preparation of stews and for poultry dishes.
Storage of spices
Please store all your spices preferably in jars with screw cap closure. The glasses can be easily sterilized in boiling water before each new use. Five minutes is enough. Please store the glasses dry, cool and protected from the sun. The ideal temperature for storing spices is 15 ° C.
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