I love paprika

Paprika in Hungary was not love at first sight ( or at first taste) !The first plants of this spice arrived in Europe by Columbus from America where it had been used widely by the native population . It spread to Hungary trough the Turks -as the first known name of the spice was "Turkish pepper " .Though the climate in South Hungary was favorable for cultivation - it was not really popular .It was the "pepper of the poor " in an era when the price of the black pepper was similar to the price of gold .Black pepper used to be the real star ! It is difficult even to imagine what the Hungarian dishes tasted like without that red spice !

Later during the Napoleonic wars there was a shortage of black pepper due to the Continental Blockade .To substitute that spice it was found that the "Turkish pepper " was excellent and available in Hungary .It started to spread in the country and soon it was called "Hungarian pepper " .Later came the word Paprika .
By the time the blockade was over paprika became the most popular spice in Hungary and is called nowadays paprika all over the world .

To grow paprika is a hard work . Most of the work is made by hand and by small holders .It must be planted each year in May .That is the only work where machine can be used .Then during summer it needs to be hoed several times and irrigated . The harvest time is in September October .It is a very big work - many families work on their lands day and night and students and military personals are involved of picking this red vegetable so important for the area's economy . I used to pick paprika - as we had to go to the fields in stead of school two weeks every September . It was a real hard work ... paprika is a small plant you have to bend all the day ... in the morning it is very cold to touch it - then at noon it is hot sometimes ...
After picking it is dried until crispy .At the factories it is dried artificially -but the small holders dry it on the sun .Simply they make paprika strings then it is hanging outside some weeks before turned into red powder .
It can not be cultivated but in special areas .Hungary has got two main paprika producing area Kalocsa and Szeged .Both of them are in the South and have excellent soil and enough sunshine to make the paprika full of natural flavouring substances.




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Paprika powder is used all over Europe but these are the Hungarians who use it the most .Paprika consumption can reach 3-5 kg per year per person in some areas . The most popular Hungarian dishes are Porkolt - meat based stew in rich, tasty, sweetish, peppery sauce
Paprikas : sour cream added to the stew above
Gulyas : beef soup with vegetables flavoured by paprika and cumin .
Stuffed cabbage rolls : saurekraut leaves stuffed with rice and ground meat and cooked in a paprika gravy

Szekely kaposzta : meat based paprika stew with saurekraut .
Halaszle : fish soup flavored by onion and paprika
Smoked sausage : pork sausage flavored by paprika ,pepper ,garlic .
Stuffed bell peppers : Ground meat and rice is stuffed into the peppers then it is cooked in a tomato sauce .lecso : Onion ,garlic ,bell peppers ,tomatoes cut into pieces and fried with paprika added

In Hungary men take great pride in mastering one or two kinds of dish with paprika which they prepare for great occasions .On weekdays they usually let the women cook !:)





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You will need :
1kg of sliced fish salted one hour before cooking( carp or catfish are the best )
1kg of onion sliced in rounds
paprika powder ( 1 or 2 spoonful from the one which is not hot but "sweet ")
black pepper
1 whole hot green pepper or green chili or round pepper ( also called cherry pepper )

This is very simple .You just cook the onion slices for minimum half an hour until the water turns green.
Then you add the fish slices . After some minutes you can add the paprika , the black pepper , the green chili if you like it hot like me. The fish is cooked fast and you get an exciting tasting and healthy dish .
To be served hot and fresh ! We eat some kind of pasta with it and usually have a pasta dish after that .This is a very popular menu in Hungary - it is made in cauldron in summer for garden parties ,school reunions ,family or friends get-togethers and it is made indoors On Christmas Eve .

Stuffed cabbage rolls are important part of Hungarian life .It is more popular during winter when it can be frozen naturally in a closed pot in the garden .The more times it is heated the better it is - people tend to think about it . This recipe poster is decorated with some folk motifs and make a nice kitchen decoration .For those who know and love the Hungarian cuisine !




Mother's stuffed cabbage rolls
by

almawad

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Mother's stuffed cabbage rolls
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almawad

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It contains a lots of vitamin C when it is fresh not dried . Actually the vitamin C was isolated from fresh paprika by a Hungarian scientist Albert Szentgyorgyi first time in the world .
There's a lots of vitamin P in the fresh pepper or in the dried form as well .Vitamin P which is one flavonoid element that does a lot for our bodies. It helps our body to properly absorb Vitamin C .The vitamin P also promotes capillary health .
The hot pepper also contains a compound called Capsaicin .It can prevent certain types of cancer and possibly can help in a lots of other ailments .There are plenty of researches in this subject .
According to villagers observations those who eat regulary hot pepper are less likely to get malaria or those who are already sick can recover easier when hot pepper was given them .This observation dates back the 19 th century when malaria used to be common in Europe .
Also it was the villagers observation that eating paprika and seeing well is related .Actually it is a proven fact that it contains Beta-carotene those it really may improve the vision .

revitalizing paprika body lotion from Ilcsi

This product is for the treatment of cellulite and stria and for revitalising tired, pale skin with poor skin turgor. Containing hot paprika, it stimulates blood circulation and strengthens the connective tissue. Therefore helps to clear veins and tissues from hard deposits and thickenings. Apply the product on the treated area, after washing, both in the morning and evening. It is a perfect warming-up product before gym or other sport activities.

- the paprika is the second most popular spice in the world after the black pepper
- the paprika used to be effective in malaria prevention and cure in 19 th century of Hungary
- the birds do not taste the hot flavor that is how the hot pepper's seed spread all over the world
- in some Hungarian areas 3 -5 kg of paprika is used per person per year
- the red pepper originally was of hot kind , the not hot kind of plant was selected in Hungary
- the paprika had been used as medicine in the Inca empire -also it was used as chemical weapon sprinkling it into the eye of the enemy
- the flamingo's feather is getting more vivid if paprika is given to them to eat

I got these images and recipe from A. Judit from Transylvania .


Hot to make grilled bell pepper salads ?

First grill the peppers until they look like this .

Then let them cool in a covered dish .

When they are still warm rub the black parts from the peppers under the tap .

Marinate them in a mixture of vinegar , salt , sugar ,water for some hours !

Enjoy the pepper salad with roast meat !

Hungarian : PAPRIKA
Latin :Capsicum annuum
German : Spanischer Pfeffer
English :peppers ,chilies ,capsicum
Spanish : ají, chile, pimiento
Esperanto : Papriko
French :piment doux ,poivron ,paprika
Arabic : fil -fil ahmar ,fil-fil halwa
Turkish :, Pul biber
Japanese : papurika
Chinese :tian jiao
Russian : perets krasni
GREEK : Piperies, Piperia, Pipera
ITALIAN : Pimento, Peperone, " Pepperoncini
MALAY (Indonesia) : Lombok, Cabai, Cabe, Cabe manis, Cabai manis.
MALAY (Malaysia) : Cabai, Lada, Cili, Chili, Chili manis, Cili manis.
NEPALESE : Khursaanii.
PERSIAN : Dolmeh felfel.
QUECHUAN : Uchu.
ROMANIAN : Ardei.
THAI : Phrik.
URDU : Shimlaa mirch.

Close up photo of jars full of Hungarian pickled peppers . Next to the jar there are some other peppers to be pickled . Original photo by Alma Wad . Great for collecting your recipes of pickled peppers and other pickling .