It is simply impossible to imagine cooking without spices, because with their help any dish acquires a unique flavor. And if the seasoning is chosen correctly, then it will perfectly complement, enhance or completely change the taste of food.
One of the most famous condiments in the world is paprika. In terms of consumption, it is in fourth place on the list of a wide variety of spices. Nevertheless, far from all of our compatriots use a powder that has a red color and a sweetish taste, with barely audible piquant bitter notes, which is called paprika. What kind of seasoning is this? What types of it are used in cooking, what are the beneficial properties of paprika and how is it used?
History reference
We all know a vegetable like red pepper. Together with eggplant and tomatoes, it belongs to the nightshade family.
It is believed that the homeland of this plant is the tropical territories of South America and South Asia. Here the plant was cultivated as a perennial. In Europe, it began to grow as an annual.
For the first time, red pepper was mentioned in 1494. It was described by a doctor who accompanied Columbus in his navigation. According to the traveler’s stories, this vegetable, which was not yet known in Europe at that time, was used by the American Indians as a seasoning, which they called “akhi”.
There is evidence of growing red peppers in Brazil even earlier in the Antilles, as well as in some South American countries. And there he was used as seasoning. Giving special taste to dishes, this spice made them more appetizing.
Red pepper was introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Spanish conquistadors. They called this seasoning the "red salt of the Indians."
Over a short period of time overseas spices managed to gain great popularity. The main reason for this was its low cost. Indeed, at that time, in the culinary recipes of Europeans, black pepper was most used. But its price was so high that only those cooks who prepared dishes for the nobility could afford this seasoning. The "Red Salt of the Indians" was available to the general public.
Peppers originally brought from tropical areas were hot. However, over time, their taste was influenced by the soil of the European continent and its climatic conditions different from those in South America. As a result of this, as well as due to the peculiarities of cultivation, peppers instead of sharp peppers began to give more juicy and sweet fruits.
Paprika seasoning made from them has become very popular. Many peoples of Europe began to use it in their kitchens. Today, such a spice is produced on an industrial scale in Morocco, Turkey, the USA and Hungary. Each of them is slightly different in taste. So, American and Spanish paprika is considered more sweet and soft. Hungarian experts acquire as the most fragrant. Interestingly, paprika pepper came to this country in the 16th century. along with the Turkish conquerors. However, at first the fruits of the introduced plants were not consumed by the Hungarians. They used red pepper as a decoration for flowerbeds and gardens. Today in Hungary produce seven different types of paprika. Each of them has its own color, aroma and pungency. Hungarians often call ground paprika “red gold”, using this spice as one of the essential ingredients in a large number of national dishes.
Seasoning Description
It turns out paprika has a lot of names. Among them are sweet pepper, Hungarian, Turkish. And this despite the fact that he came from America. But most people know her as bell peppers. At the same time, we all love paprika, because it is healthy and tasty, and thanks to its rich cumulus color, it is able to decorate any dish. Aged in a marinade or baked vegetable becomes the highlight of the program. And ground paprika pepper powder has been used for many centuries in culinary recipes of many nations. At the same time, spice is considered one of the favorite ingredients of dishes.
What is ground paprika? This is a spice that is obtained after drying red pepper and grinding it into powder. Paprika can be of different colors. Their gamut ranges from dark red to orange tones. Some types of seasonings have a bright red color.
Paprika is a mixture of dried and crushed peppers belonging to the Capsicum Annum family. Among them are chile, Bulgarian and others. Such a mixture is considered universal. In cooking, it is used for almost all types of dishes, from seafood to soups, rice and so on. As a rule, paprika is added to goulash, chips, pizza, etc.
It is worth noting that this seasoning is quite interesting. She reveals her unique aroma with a wide range of shades only under the influence of high temperature. Using this nuance, the chefs were able to improve many recipes by starting to add paprika to hot dishes and sauces.
Botanical characteristic
Raw materials for the production of paprika are obtained from the fruits of the same plant. In a cultural form, it is an annual. In the wild, it is an erect perennial shrub. It belongs to the nightshade family and reaches a height of 1.5 m.
During flowering, large white flowers (gathered in bunches or single) with purple, green or pale yellow veins appear on the paprika. The fruits of the plant are false hollow berries, which contain a lot of seeds. Their color may be different. Paprika fruits are red, orange, yellow, brown and green.
Today, paprika is cultivated and grown in some European countries (most of all in Hungary and Spain) and in the USA.
How is spice produced?
Peppers, which are then seasoned, are grown in vast fields. Spice production is quite labor intensive. It requires investment of a large amount of time and effort. After fruit ripening, each of them is collected manually. After the peppers are laid out to dry, and then hung, like garlands, on the threads, placing them in a sunny place. Ready-to-spice fruits look very shriveled. But the color of their peel during drying changes, becoming more saturated and bright. This technology allows you to save all the beneficial substances in the fruit. At the same time, the spice does not lose its characteristic aroma. Natural drying is a rather lengthy process. 1-3 months pass from the time of the harvest to the receipt of the fruit, ready for processing.
Dried peppers grind mechanically. As a result of this, a spicy taste powder is obtained.
The developed technology for the production of paprika allows you to adjust the severity of the finished spice. This is achieved by removing the partitions and seeds of the fetus that contain the capsaicin alkaloid.
Often experienced chefs chop peppers on their own. Such a spice, in their opinion, retains its beneficial properties and taste as much as possible.
To date, paprika is represented by a fairly large number of varieties. Consider its classification based on various criteria.
Manufacturer
Depending on the region where the spice is made, it happens:
- Hungarian paprika;
- Spanish
- Moroccan
- Californian.
Grinding
Distinguish spice and depending on this indicator. Some of its species are finely divided powder, while others are crushed into small pieces. Ground paprika made at home is quite large. But at the same time, its aroma is brighter, richer and denser than that of factory analogues. This becomes especially noticeable after the spice is in hot fat. Its smell causes real delight among gourmets.
Color
Distinguish spice and therefore criteria. Seasoning is presented in a wide range of tones. Her colors begin bright orange and end with maroon and brown. Considering the types of paprika on the basis of this criterion, it is worth mentioning such a variety as smoked. Such a spicy powder has a bright dark red color. At the same time, the taste of paprika is distinguished by the unique aroma of haze. To get the required quality of seasoning, peppers go through a special drying method. This is a procedure involving the placement of ripened fruits in special houses. On the ground floor of such dryers, oak boards are laid and set on fire. On the second, the pods of pepper are languishing. A similar procedure provides the seasoning with a unique smoky aftertaste and aroma.
Based on the color saturation, you can determine the quality of paprika. Seasoning is divided into several categories:
- Highest quality. What kind of seasoning is this? Paprika of the highest quality is distinguished by rich red color, uniform fine grinding, pleasant pronounced aroma and sweet taste with subtle notes of bitterness.
- High enough quality. This paprika has a red, but not saturated color with brown hues. Its aroma is quite light and pleasant. The flavoring is sweetish with a slight tinge of bitterness. Its grinding is uniform and thin.
- Standard quality. This seasoning is easy to distinguish by its pale red or red-orange color with shades of orange and brown.
- Low quality. It is a seasoning of a mosaic type in which pale red color and orange-brown shades prevail.
Hotness
Ground paprika is different and based on the degree of its severity. This indicator starts from a sweet and mild taste and ends with a hot one. So, depending on the amount of capsaicin contained in red pepper, there are eight varieties of Hungarian paprika. Among them:
- Gentle. This is not hot paprika. This seasoning is characterized by the mildest taste. Of all kinds of spices, she is the owner of the brightest red color.
- Sensitive. This variety of paprika is endowed with a rich, moderately spicy taste.
- Exquisitely thin. Compared to sensitive, this paprika is a spicier spice.
- Burning. She is a little sharper than sophisticated.
- Noble sweet. This type of red ground pepper is the most common. This paprika has a slightly burning taste. Moreover, her color is bright red.
- Semisweet. This seasoning is considered medium-sharp.
- Rose flower. This spice has a light red color, and it tastes only slightly burning.
- Hot. This type of ground paprika pepper is the most burning of all. Outwardly, it is a powder, the color of which combines light brown and orange tones.
Benefit for health
Ground paprika not only improves the taste of dishes. She is also very healthy. This product is a real champion in the amount of ascorbic acid in its composition. In addition, a lot of paprika has vitamin A, which helps the body resist disease.
More recently, researchers found in red bell pepper a substance that helps strengthen blood vessels. They called this element vitamin P, taking the first letter of the word "paprika." Capsaicin, which is part of the fetus, as scientists have found, is nothing more than an alkaloid. Thanks to it, the hormone of happiness is released - endorphin, uplifting and strengthening the nervous system.
In addition, paprika:
- contains in its composition a large amount of carbohydrates, which are useful for the human body, helping to transfer serious mental and physical stress to it;
- due to its high content of dietary fiber, it reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, as well as diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
- beneficial effect on intestinal motility, normalizing the work of this organ;
- includes vitamins with antioxidant abilities, which allows the product to positively affect vision and the general condition of the body;
- It has a light stimulating effect due to the content of capsaicin.
Contraindications
Practice and research convincingly prove the fact that anyone can use ground paprika. Nevertheless, people who suffer from serious pathologies of the stomach, for example, from peptic ulcer or gastritis, need to refrain from excessive addition of this seasoning to dishes.
Cooking use
Many peoples of the world like to add paprika to their cuisine. However, the true connoisseurs of this spice are the Hungarians. It was they who created the recipes with paprika, which are popular in many countries. This is goulash and paprikash.
This seasoning occupies an important place in Spanish cuisine. Here, without it, it is impossible to cook chorizo or sobrasada (home-made sausage).
Paprika is widely used in the preparation of sauces, soups and salads. It is rubbed with poultry, fish and meat before baking. In Moroccan and oriental cuisines, dressing from a mixture of paprika and butter is especially common. It is added to a wide variety of dishes.
Where else can paprika be used in cooking?
- For the preparation of first courses. The spice will give them a pleasant shade, as well as a slight taste of pepper.
- For meat dishes. Stewed paprika is especially good. It is also added to sausages and minced meat. Paprika rub fat and beams. This allows you to give them a more saturated color.
- In marinades and sauces. The most striking example of this is the barbecue marinade.
- Salads and snacks. Light notes of spiciness or sweetness will add a spicy flavor to these dishes.
- Side dishes, hot dishes made from vegetables. Baked and stewed vegetables are perfectly combined with the taste of paprika. The same can be said about rice.
- Baking and desserts. Sweet ground paprika finds its application here. Spice is used as a natural dye or shades the taste of a dish.
How to use ground paprika? When preparing it, some nuances should be taken into account:
- Paprika is not a lover of too high temperatures. In boiling fat and over high heat, it instantly burns. At the same time, the dish changes color and a bitter aftertaste appears in it. The maximum seasoning can withstand only the temperature of boiling water.
- Spice is best given its taste and color if you add it to hot fat, continuing to cook the dish, bringing the fire to medium intensity. For example, paprika is added to the fry at the end of its preparation, and then mixed with the main products (goulash or rice). All ingredients are poured with broth and only after that are brought to readiness.
- If the spice is too hot, you can reduce its hotness either by adding it to the pan 2 minutes before the dish is ready, or sprinkling the food with the spice. And in that, and in another case, the reddish shade of the dish, for which paprika is so appreciated, will certainly take place.
- If you want to make the flavor of the seasoning brighter, and its color is maroon, you must first preheat ground pepper in a pan. The fire should be small, and the spice should be constantly stirred.
Those who do not use paprika for cooking their dishes should definitely try this amazing red powder. He will give the food a unique taste that simply can not be disliked.