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Need a little spice in your life? Made from dried sweet red bell peppers to the more milder chili pepper, paprika is a colorful seasoning to add to many special dishes. It is a red powder we usually use in potato salad or chicken for looks. However, paprika also has taste value, which apart from capsicum, is mostly due to essential oil. It also contains Vitamin C, so it adds a little something extra to your diet.

Kinds of Paprika and their Properties (from mildest to hottest):

Special Quality- Mildest paprika, bright red, nice aroma
Delicate- Mild, dark to red, contains a rich flavor
Rose- Mild, pale red, strong aroma.
Noble Sweet- Slightly spicy, bright red, is the most commonly exported paprika
Half-Sweet- A blend of mild and hot paprikas; medium pungency
Exquisite Delicate- Spicier
Pungent Exquisite Delicate- Even spicier
Hot- The hottest of all paprikas, light brown in color

Paprika is often used in Hungarian, Spanish, Turkish and Portuguese dishes. Since I am 100% Portuguese, I know of the things paprika can bring to the dinner table first hand. To embrace this spice for its flavor, stir the powder into some oil before adding it to your dish. For meats, poultry, or fish, the powder can be brushed on. To prevent this sweeter spice from burning, cook it for a limited amount of time and under a lower flame.

Next time you have to bring a dish to a potluck dinner, skip the potato salad adorning paprika as a decoration. Use its culinary potential to create a delicious plate everyone can enjoy. Here are some recipes to try:

Chicken Papirkash
Goulash
Tandoori chicken
Austrian Paprika-Potatoes
Beef Noodle Paprika
Chicken Cream Ala Paprika
Beef Paprika

Learn more about this author, Kelly A. Mello.
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