What it is, what it does
Paprika is the ground seeds and flesh of the pimiento pepper. It is less pungent than chilli powder, but has a deep red in colour and more complex flavour. Although not as high in beneficial capsaicin as chilli powder, it is rich in Vitamin C.

In the kitchen
The national spice of Hungary, paprika is used in rich aromatic meat stews and soups. Middle Eastern meze dishes such as houmous are traditionally garnished with paprika. Use Spanish paprika to give an authentic smoky flavour to romesco sauce, Spanish bean stews, rice dishes, chicken or pork, and to enliven home-roast almonds.

Varieties
Hungarian paprika comes in varieties ranging from sweet to mildly-hot. Spanish paprika or pimentón is made from peppers that have been slowly smoked over oak to give a rich smoky flavour. It comes in sweet (dulce) and hot (picante) varieties.