The Scoville Heat Unit measures the heat factor chilies from different plants. Depending on the plant, its source and the brand, the SHU of Indian red chili powder ranges from 48,000 SHU (which is relatively mild) to 72,000 SHU (which is hot).

What Is Paprika?

Best for stews, salsas, soups, chilies, and sauces.

Hot or spicy paprika is, of course, hot and spicy. You may also see hot paprika referred to as Hungarian paprika. It’s not as hot as pure cayenne pepper, but it can definitely pack a punch, adding a spicy kick to almost any dish. Hungarian paprika comes in eight different varieties, each with varying degrees of heat and flavour, but the most common is édesnemes – known for its pungent, peppery flavour and sweetness.

All types of paprika are made from peppers belonging to the Capsicum annuum family. However, hot paprika is made using spicier peppers and will include the inner piths.

Paprika’s colour and flavour reduce the longer it’s cooked. So add it at the end of your cooking to make sure you make the most of its wonderful shade and taste. Compared to other spices, you can use paprika quite liberally without overpowering other ingredients, so don’t be afraid to be generous. Paprika burns quite easily due to its high sugar content, so it’s best cooked with a little oil over a low heat and don’t forget to keep stirring.

You may need to make a trip to your favorite Asian markets or source a few specialty online stores for chili garlic paste ingredients. Using fresh ingredients gives you the most garlicky smokey excellent Asian chili garlic paste imaginable.

For big proportions and mild needs: Spicy ketchup

Because of the generalness of the term “chili sauce”, when it’s called for you have to give consideration to the context of the recipe and your heat tolerance.