Hi CurryCanuck,
Pakrika is the hungarian word for pepper. My (hungarian) friend makes wonderful goulashes and uses the best paprika which comes from Hungary.
This is what Wikipedia has to say about paprika;
Paprika is a mild, powdered seasoning made from sweet red peppers, Capsicum annuum, also referred to as bell peppers. In Hungary and adjacent countries, as well as Japan, Scandinavia, and Indonesia, paprika refers to bell peppers generally. The English word derives from Hungarian, which borrowed it from Serbian, being a cognate to the English word pepper.
The portugese brought back bell peppers and chillies from the new world and traded then in india (Goa, a former portugese colony), ca:1700 . Before chillies and paprika indian food was made hot with black pepper.
To be honest i find this slightly hard to believe, there was a massive spice trade running from china to india and beyond, hundereds of years before. I cant believe that no-one found anything like a chillie before then.
Anyway, paprika is definately a part of indian cooking and not only lends colour but also a subtle taste. Hungarians are famous for their high quality paprika and although more expensive its worth getting hold of it, if you can, although i doubt its used in BIR?s.
Regards Ashes