Paprika Peppers

For most cooks, paprika is a deep red powder that comes in a spice bottle. It is typically used in stews like Hungarian goulash or to add colour to creamy sauces, egg dishes and stir-fries. Unlike chillies, dried paprika has a mild spicy flavour with a hint of sweetness. It can also have a deeper smoked flavour depending on the way it is cured.

The fresher the spice the tastier it is, so why not grow your own paprika peppers and dry them? Ground paprika is the most common way of using paprika, but raw peppers can also be eaten. They are not as sweet as bell peppers and have a slightly bitter, mildly spicy flavour. The crunch of fresh paprika peppers is the same as bell peppers which adds crispness to salads, sandwiches and stir-fries.

Did you know?

Paprika is regarded as the national spice of Hungary. It is also very popular in Spain where it is used in paella and sofrito (a fried spicy mix, that is used as a base for many Spanish dishes). The practice in Spain is to smoke the paprika which adds a lovely smoky flavour to dishes. In Moroccan cuisine, paprika (Tamira) is usually augmented by the addition of a small amount of olive oil blended into it.

To grow paprika peppers

Paprika peppers are grown just like bell peppers. Start them in seed trays and keep the trays moist during germination which takes seven to 14 days. Once the seed has germinated feed with a liquid fertiliser like Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger at half strength and follow up every two weeks.

Once the seedlings are big enough to handle you can transplant them. Plant them into sunny, well-composted beds or large pots using good quality potting soil and supplement with a liquid feed twice a month.

As garden plants, the peppers should be spaced 30cm apart. The first fruit should be ready for harvesting within 80 days. For the best flavour, let the fruit ripen completely to a deep red. By harvesting continuously, the bushes should produce fruit until the first frost.

How to preserve your paprika peppers

Dry your peppers in mesh bags hung in full sun for three days to one week or until it is dry and crisp. When completely dry, 85% of the pod weight will have been lost. Put the peppers into a blender and process until the texture is very fine. You can add a little salt as a preservative or cornflour to prevent caking. Store in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dark cupboard. Alternately, de-seed and thinly slice the peppers and use a dehydrator until the slices are very crisp – about 12 hours – then blend into a powder.

Get your paprika pepper seeds from Kirchhoffs.