As we sat down to a plate of Hungarian goulash, the brilliant red hue of paprika visually hit us before its sweet caramelizing notes. Sold as ground or powdered form of non-pungent red varieties of Capsicum annum, paprika is grown in Hungary, Morocco, Spain, Mexico, Turkey and the U.S. Indispensable to Hungarian cooking, paprika has a wide range of colors and pungencies. Popular in eastern European stews, sausages, omelets, soups and BBQs, it is also added to Andalusian sofritos, chorizos and fish dishes, North American potato salads, devilled eggs and chilis. It is also an essential ingredient in many spice blends of the Middle East, North Africa and North India.