Hungarian Paprika

[Claire]

My last house guest brought me a package of three little bags of paprika she picked up in ... well, Hungary. I'm not desperate, more curious (I'll just use them by taste). She said she's pretty sure one is smoked, one hot, one sweet (this jives with what I know about paprika). There are three containers that all look the same, and I'm looking for anyone who might know the difference. I'm looking at the words, and the difference seems to be that one says "csemeny" (in a green container), one says edesnemes (in a white container), and one csipus (red container). There are accents on all these words I cannot reproduce here. Most of the other words on the packages seem the same, so I assume these particular words differentiate between the types. I use the brands of Hungarian paprika readily availabe in this country, and we wouldn't be terribly upset if a dish I made tasted smoky instead of hot instead of sweet. But anyone know?

 

[Andy M.]

Put a dab of each on your tongue (one at a time) and taste it. The smoky one should smell smoky right out of the container. The hot one will burn your tongue...

 

[SharonT]

Accent Marks

Claire – sorry to interrupt with off-topic note but thought you might like to know that you can reproduce special characters by using the number pad. For example, with the number lock on, hold down the ALT key and press 130 on the number pad. This results in an é, as in édesnemes. Here is a table of Accent Marks

Enjoy the Hungarian paprikas.

 

[buckytom]

edesnemes is sweet hungarian paprika; i'm not sure which of the other 2 is hot or smoked. i thought all hungarian paprika was dried over smoke, so i'm not sure what is meant by smoked paprika.
hot should have the word "eros" on the label.

or you could use andy's battery acid test and taste. i would think a red can would be hot.

 

[urmaniac13]

We bought a book on Hungarian cooking not long ago, so I looked it up. Bucky is right, Edesnemes is the sweet mild one, most known outside Hungary as the "Hungarian Paprika".
Csipus (it was written in this book as CsipOs...) is the hot and pungent one, and it sounds like quite potent.
I couldn't find anything "csemeny", but the word "csemege" is used quite often, including among the description of some of the paprika variations. "csemege" seems to mean "delicate", however there are a few variation of "csemege" paprika, ranging from sweet to semi-hot. However you are given the typical sweet version and hot version, I risk a guess that this one is something in the middle, but you may want to have a taste test first...

I have been reading this book and discovering many aspect of the Hungarian cooking, seems to be a very interesting and intriguing cuisine, I would love to start exploring them actually in the kitchen

 

[daisy]

The ordinary Hungarian Paprika is the one used in Hungarian Goulash, quite sweet and aromatic. I like it sprinkled on jacket potatoes, with sour cream and chives. The Hot Hungarian is used much the same way as Cayenne Pepper, with a similar bite. I've never used the Smoky one.

But here's a site with lots of Hungarian recipes for you:

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=hungarian

Do keep your spices in airtight containers in a cool, dark place, because they'll lose their colour and flavour quickly otherwise.

 

[bethzaring]

you lucky devil, Claire.......a few years ago I brought back 100g of the sweet, from Hungary, and it definitely is the edesnemes

 

[Claire]

Thanks for the help! Main reason for asking, rather than opening and tasting, is that I have two cans of paprika -- hot and sweet -- open right now, so didn't want to open them any time soon. I won't use a lot of paprika until the weather cools, most eastern European dishes I make are pretty heavy, cool-weather meals (cabbage rolls, goulash, etc). Anyway, I didn't want to open them and start tasting, preferring to keep them sealed until I need them. The last smokey paprika I bought was SO smokey that it was really only good for using on things you want a real barbecue type flavor for. I did open one from curiousity, and thought it was the smokey, but wasn't sure since it was so much more subtle that the last smoked paprika I bought. SharonT, thanks for the accent marks info; it comes up in my life more often than you'd think, given that I don't really speak any foreign language, at least not well!

 

[mitmondol]

I know, this is an old thread, but I just found it!
Let me answer the question
csipos = hot
csemege =mild with a rich paprika flavor, color can vary
edesnemes = bright red, mild, slightly pungent

There is also rozsa, kulonleges, feledes, csipos csemege. These are the names of the mass produced paprika. Many people make their own and the variations are endless there.I get mine by the lb from a farmer in Hu.

There is NO smoked paprika in Hungary. That would be Spanish.
I looked at the above mentioned website, and just what I thought!
Please do not believe those are authentic recipes. I am not saying they can not be good, but most of them are far from being real Hungarian.In some cases even the ingredients would not be used..
Anyway, being Hungarian, I would be happy to answer any question in the subject.

 

[Jeekinz]

Anyway, being Hungarian, I would be happy to answer any question in the subject.

How 'bout a goulash recipe?

 

[CharlieD]

I don't see the need to wait for wheather change. Paprika never leaves my table. it is good any time, on any foods.

 

[Claire]

The paprika I have was purchased by a friend in Hungary, but was probably a product meant to be given as gifts. Sweet, Hot, and Smoked. Maybe there is another word for the latter. I love using it in soups and stews, and especially in cabbage rolls I make once a year.

 

[Claire]

I use paprika in a number of dishes, yes, in barbecues and on grilled foods. But I use more of it in the winter, in home made soups, stews, and of course, cabbage rolls. So I do tend to identify it more with winter food (I live in a 4-seasons state). Then I use a LOT of it. Can you believe I grew up in a family where it was just a condiment that was used for appearances. No flavor at all, just to put some red coloring on things like cream cheese in celery sticks, or devilled eggs. I didn't learn that paprika had flavor until I was over 30. I was cooking with a sister a few years back, and she was still suffering from that misunderstanding. I grabbed some paprika from my collection and gave her a taste. Oh my goodness. She was shocked.

 

[mitmondol]

Claire, yes it's a shame how little people know about paprika.On the other hand, the stuff you can buy in stores here...let me just say I do not use it.
Those boxes probably have been sitting on the shelves for years (since nobody buys them) and taste like sawdust.
I get mine from Hu, but of course I realize that would not be available for everyone.
Still, mail ordering from a Hu store would be better.
Back to the names, as I said there is NO smoked paprika in Hu.
That's Spanish.
I'm glad you discovered how great paprika is.

 

[buckytom]

mitmondol, i did a quick search and it appears that you're right. i tried to find "smoked hungarian paprika", and i came up with a lot of recipes, but no places selling actual smoked paprika imported from hungary. the only brand that i found online, i think, is from the united states. i'm not sure how that makes it hungarian.

thanks for the clarification and info!

i remember my mom often used paprika just for colouring, like on the skin of a roast chicken, and probably never new that it was one of the secrets of why her food tastes so good.

i vaguely remember her using a tin of "pride of szeged" hungarian paprika. same goes for my mil, who was from slovakia.

i use it in my dry rubs for just about everything, and like my mom, adds a little extra color as well as dimension to the flavor.

 

[mitmondol]

Tom, I better be right! I'm from Hungary!
Glad you like it, needless to say I love paprika!
And there is a lot more to do with it. Maybe a should give you guys a little "tutorial" on cooking with paprika..

 

[CharlieD]

Please do.

 

[mitmondol]

I will when I have a bit more time.
Right now I'm cooking something called Lecso.
It is basically onions, peppers and tomato, but of course, with paprika.

I will come back a little later with the recipe.

 

[CharlieD]

I love Lecho (that is what we called back in Russia), please post that recipe too.

 

[mitmondol]

Lesco, TNT

Sorry I didn't get back sooner.
Here it is Charlie:

3 slices bacon cut into small pieces
2 onions
2 lbs peppers (I use the small pale yerllow chiles), cut into rings
4 large, very ripe tomatoes, cut into 8th
salt
2 tsp paprika
smoked sausage (I use hot Linguisa, comes closest in flavor to Hu sausage),cut into rings

Render the bacon, but don't crisp.
Add the peppers, salt and let cook until they let some of their liquid out.
Add tomatoes and cook over moderate heat.
When there is some juice from the tomatoes sprinkle with paprika and stir it in.
Let it cook slowly, until peppers are soft and tomatoes almost cooked down
into a sauce.(you still want bits and pieces of the tomatoes)
Add sausage rings and cook a few minutes longer.
If tomatoes are not sweet enough, can add a pinch of sugar to cut the tartness.
I like it just as it is, but can be served with boiled rice. Some people cook the rice in it. Others add a whisked egg at the end and finish cooking when the egg sets.

Wouldn't use bell peppers for this ,they are too watery, the greens are too bitter, reds are too sweet.