Paprika Chicken with Marinated Cucumber

Paprika is the key to this dish. Try to buy only as much as you need and don’t keep opened packets of paprika for weeks as it loses flavour quickly and then has no more subtlety than brick dust.

In Hungary it is sold in four grades ranging in strength from quite mild rose paprika to the quite hot. As paprika available here is usually mild I have added a chilli to the ingredients. Creamy sauces need enlivening.

Paprika should fry for a few seconds, but mustn’t burn or it will