Paprika is the ground bright red powder from sweet and hot dried peppers. It's much milder than cayenne pepper and has a characteristic sweetness. It's a favourite ingredient in European cookery: in Austria and Hungary paprika is a main flavouring in meat stews such as goulash, of which paprika is the essence.

Eastern Europeans use it to flavour venison stews and soured cabbage and other vegetable dishes. In Spain, Portugal and Mexico paprika is used to flavour chorizo.

Spanish smoked paprika, which adds a delicious smoky note to meat or vegetable dishes, is available in supermarkets in the UK. Portuguese cooks use paprika to flavour fish stews.

Use it to give spicy depth to lamb, chicken and fish dishes or try sprinkling a pinch over the yolk of a fried egg or creamy scrambled eggs.

In many middle eastern dishes it is one of the main spices, along with cumin, in dishes such as tagines and curries.

Product of the USA