paprika

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(pă-prē'kə, pə-, păp'rĭ-kə) pronunciation
n.
  1. A mild powdered seasoning made from sweet red peppers.
  2. A dark to deep or vivid reddish orange.

[Hungarian, from Serbian, from papar, ground pepper, from Slavic *piprŭ, from Latin piper. See pepper.]


A type of pepper, Capsicum annuum (order Polemoniales), with nonpungent flesh, grown for its long red fruit. It is of American origin, but is most popular in Hungary and adjacent countries. Seeds are removed from the mature fruit, and the flesh is dried and ground to prepare the dry condiment commonly referred to as paprika. California is the only important producing state in the United States. See also Pepper; Solanales.


[pa-PREE-kuh; PAP-ree-kuh] Used as a seasoning and garnish for a plethora of savory dishes, paprika is a powder made by grinding aromatic sweet red pepper pods. The pods are quite tough, so several grindings are necessary to produce the proper texture. The flavor of paprika can range from mild to pungent and hot, the color from bright orange-red to deep blood-red. Most commercial paprika comes from Spain, South America, California and Hungary, with the Hungarian variety considered by many to be superior. Indeed, Hungarian cuisine has long used paprika as a mainstay flavoring rather than simply as a garnish. All supermarkets carry mild paprikas, while ethnic markets must be searched out for the more pungent varieties. As with all herbs and spices, paprika should be stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months. See also spices.

Nutritional Values:

The Nutritional Value for: paprika

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1 tsp 5 1 0 0 2.1 0 0
Word Tutor:

paprika

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: A red seasoning made by grinding certain peppers.

pronunciation The chef seasoned the goulash with paprika and other spices.

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Source: Capsicum frutescens L.; C. annuum L. and its varieties; C. chinense Jacq. (syn. C. angulosum Mill.); C. baccatum L. var. pendulum (Willd.) Eshbaugh (syn. C. pendulum Willd.); C. pubescens Ruiz & Pavon. (Family Solanaceae).

Common/vernacular names: Capsicum, cayenne pepper, paprika, red pepper, Tabasco pepper, hot pepper, chili pepper.

There has been much dispute and confusion regarding the classification of Capsicum. All peppers, hot and mild (not to be confused with black and white pepper), have been at one time or another considered as fruits of a single species, C. annuum and its varieties, or of two species, C. annuum and C. frutescens, and their varieties. Currently, five major Capsicum species and their varieties are recognized: C. frutescens, C. chinense, C. baccatum, C. pubescens, and C. annuum.

Capsicum annuum is an annual herb (from 1–5 m in height), while the other species are usually perennial woody shrubs, all native to tropical America and now widely cultivated. C. frutescens is readily distinguished from C. annuum in that its stem is shrubby, its flowers are borne in groups, it grows up to 2 m in height, and it is a perennial. All five species yield pungent fruits commonly called red pepper or simply capsicum. Mild fruits commonly known as paprika, bell pepper, sweet pepper, or green pepper are usually produced by varieties of C. annuum.

Capsicum oleoresin is obtained by extracting red pepper with a suitable organic solvent; extraction of sweet pepper (paprika) with similar solvents yields paprika oleoresin, which contains high concentrations of carotenoids but little or no pungent principles, depending on the process.

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  See crossword solutions for the clue Paprika.
A small bowl of Spanish pimentón
Packaged ground and whole dried paprika for sale at a Belgrade marketplace.
The various shapes and colors of the capsicum fruit used to prepare paprika.

Paprika is a spice made from ground, dried fruits of Capsicum annuum, either bell pepper or chili pepper varieties or mixtures thereof. In many European languages, the word paprika refers to the Capsicum fruit itself. The seasoning is used in many cuisines to add color and flavor to dishes. Paprika can range from mild to hot. Flavors also vary from country to country.

Contents

Etymology

In modern times, the word paprika is derived from the Serbian and Croatian word paprika or the Hungarian paprika;[1] meaning pepper (Capsicum). The Hungarian paprika is a diminutive form of the Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian/Montenegrin papar, derived from the Latin piper or Modern Greek piperi. It came into currency in the 19th century.[2] Many European languages use a similar word whilst examples from other languages include the Hebrew paprika [פפריקה] and the Japanese papurika [パプリカ].[1] In India, it is believed that Paprika was named after the Hindu figure Rysh Paprike [3].

Usage

Paprika is produced in a number of places including Hungary, Serbia, Spain and California.[4] It is used as an ingredient in a broad variety of dishes throughout the world. Paprika is principally used to season and color rices, stews, and soups, such as goulash, and in the preparation of sausages as an ingredient that is mixed with meats and other spices. In the United States, paprika is frequently sprinkled on foods as a garnish, but the flavor is more effectively produced by heating it gently in oil.[5]

Spanish Paprika (Pimentón) is available in three versions, mild (Pimentón Dulce), moderately spicy (Pimentón Agridulce), and very spicy (Pimentón Picante.) Some Spanish paprika, including Pimentón de la Vera has a distinct smokey flavor and aroma as it is dried by smoking, typically using oak wood.[6]

Hungary is a major source of paprika and is thus more commonly used. It is available in grades ranging as follows:

  • Special quality (Különleges) the mildest, very sweet with a deep bright red color.
  • Delicate (csípősmentes csemege) – color from light to dark red, a mild paprika with a rich flavor.
  • Exquisite Delicate (Csemegepaprika) – similar to Delicate, but more pungent.
  • Pungent Exquisite Delicate (Csípős Csemege, Pikáns) - an even more pungent version of Delicate.
  • Rose (Rózsa) – pale red in color with strong aroma and mild pungency.
  • Noble Sweet (Édesnemes) – the most commonly exported paprika; bright red and slightly pungent.
  • Half-Sweet (Félédes) – A blend of mild and pungent paprikas; medium pungency.
  • Strong (Erős) – light brown in color, the hottest paprika.[7]

The Netherlands is a major production and distribution source of paprika as well, especially grown in greenhouses.

In Moroccan cuisine, paprika (tahmira) is usually found slightly moistened by the addition of a small amount of olive oil blended into it.

Paprika can also be used with henna to bring a reddish tint to hair when coloring it. Paprika powder can be added to henna powder when prepared at home.

Nutrition

Capsicum peppers used for paprika are unusually rich in vitamin C, a fact discovered in 1932 by Hungary's 1937 Nobel prize-winner Albert Szent-Györgyi.[8] Much of the vitamin C content is retained in paprika, which contains more vitamin C by weight than does lemon juice.[9]

Paprika is also high in other antioxidants.[10] Prevalence of nutrients, however, must be balanced against quantities ingested, which are generally negligible for spices.

The color of paprika is primarily due to the xanthophyll carotenoid zeaxanthin.

According to the USDA, 1tbsp (6.8g) of paprika has the following nutritional content:[11]

  • Calories :19
  • Fat : 0.88g
  • Carbohydrates : 3.67g
  • Fiber: 2.4g
  • Protein: 0.96g

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Katzer, Gernot (May 27, 2008). "Paprika (Capsicum annuum L.)". http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Caps_ann.html. Retrieved February 21, 2011. 
  2. ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=paprika. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  3. ^ Wong, Curtis. "Holešovice's Hungarian rhapsody". http://www.praguepost.com/night-and-day/1202-holesovices-hungarian-rhapsody.html. Retrieved 9 April 2012. 
  4. ^ "Paprika — Food Facts". Food Reference. http://www.foodreference.com/html/artpaprika.html. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  5. ^ Hyde, Brenda. "Classic Spice Blends: Paprika". Oldfashionedliving.com. http://oldfashionedliving.com/paprika.html. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  6. ^ "Spanish Paprika — Pimentón". Spanishfood.about.com. 2011-03-02. http://spanishfood.about.com/od/essentialingredients/a/paprika.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  7. ^ by Tom (2008-10-31). "Grades of Paprika | The Spice House Blog". http://blog.thespicehouse.com/grades-of-paprika/. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  8. ^ ": Szeged, 1931-1947: Vitamin C, Muscles, and WWII:". The Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers. U.S. National Library of Medicine. http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/WG/Views/Exhibit/narrative/szeged.html. Retrieved 2009-04-22. 
  9. ^ "Nutrition Facts Comparison Tool: Spices Paprika v. Lemon Juice Raw". Healthaliciousness. 2009. http://www.healthaliciousness.com/nutritionfacts/nutrition-comparison.php?o=2028&t=9152&h=102&s=100&e=100&r=. Retrieved 2009-07-27. 
  10. ^ "Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods – 2007", United States Department of Agriculture, November 2007.
  11. ^ http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

External links


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Dansk (Danish)
n. - paprika

Nederlands (Dutch)
paprikapoeder, rode paprika

Français (French)
n. - paprika

Deutsch (German)
n. - Paprika

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (μαγειρ.) πάπρικα

Italiano (Italian)
paprica

Português (Portuguese)
n. - páprica (f), colorau (m)

Русский (Russian)
паприка

Español (Spanish)
n. - pimentón, pimienta húngara, morrón, pimiento

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - paprika

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
辣椒粉, 红辣椒

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 辣椒粉, 紅辣椒

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 단맛이 나는 고추의 일종, 그 씨에서 만든 향미료

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - パプリカ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) فلفل, شطه, فلفل حلو‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פפריקה, פלפלת, פלפל אדום‬


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