Hungarians eat a colossal half kilo of paprika every year – that’s more than anyone else in Europe.

As you’ve undoubtedly seen, we’ve returned, friends, to the mystical realm of Chinese condiments—i.e. SAUCE. Now that we’ve conquered the elusive Homemade Chili Oil and Ginger Scallion Oil (I believe the terms “elixir of life” and “condiment of the gods” were bandied about by some…), we can move on to more complicated and lesser known sauces. One such concoction is Chiu Chow sauce, which, in a nutshell, is chili oil gone hog wild. Those folks in Chiu Chow China really know what they’re doing!

Alert: While spices can have many beneficial properties for health, using them for medical purposes should be done under the guidance and supervision of a healthcare professional or specialist. Some spices may interact with medications or cause adverse reactions in certain individuals, and it is important to use them safely and appropriately. If you are considering using spices for a medical condition, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before doing so.

Although the study did not show a drop in markers of the inflammatory response in the blood, the results are thought to be due to inflammatory proteins present in joint space. One of the studies showed joint pain eased in two hours with a curcurin supplement and one hour with a nonsteroidal inflammatory response drug, ibuprofen, a drug recommended for joint problems. The duration of curcumin supplementation was 4 to 12 weeks.

The ratio that works best for my recipes is for every teaspoon of paprika, I use one-fourth or one-third teaspoon of cayenne chili powder, depending on how spicy or hot I want the dish to be.