Hot Paprika is produced by grinding a number of varieties of dried deep red paprika pods of the pepper plant (Capsicum). Although paprika is regarded as the symbol of Hungarian cuisine, the spice was brought to Hungary by the Turkish traders only as recently as the 16-17th centuries.  Spice & Co. Hot Paprika has a heat rating of five on a scale of one to ten. Use of hot, sweet or smoked paprika depends on the type of dish being prepared and the desired level of heat. Hot paprika can be moderated with sweet paprika to achieve your preferred level of heat.