Two guys, a girl and a blindfold: Pap-a don't preach

Move over cinnamon challenge - how do the judges of The Chefs' Line go downing a sprinkle of smoky Spanish paprika in a blind taste test?

Picture this: you come across a delicious recipe, which tells you to use paprika. You then head to the spice aisle of your local grocer... only to be hit with a paralysing array of choice - which one to get? Smoky, sweet... Hungarian? And what's the difference between them all anyway?

Well, all paprika, at its core, is made up of crushed dried peppers (in the capsicum family). Now what varieties of peppers and how they're dried make up the rest of the difference. Sweet paprika usually refers to the mild types that are sun-dried, that add a subtle flavour to your dish, and smoked paprika refers to peppers that have been smoked before they're crushed, and add a heady depth of flavour that's recognisably Spanish. Not sure about the labels? You can also tell these apart by the colour - smoked paprika has a much darker red hue to the powder, as opposed to sweet/Hungarian's vibrant, almost orange tone.

Paprika is the cornerstone of many Spanish recipes. Source: maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com

So, how did our judges do in the paprika blind taste-test?

The Chefs' Line judges, ready to down a spoon of smoked paprika for your viewing entertainment! Source: The Chefs' Line

[Mel] Can it please be something delicious? 

(3, 2, 1, down the hatch!)

[Mark] (Coughs intensively)

[Mel] Okay, I know this one!

Which one of our judges has got this in the bag? Source: The Chefs' Line

(Alright! What do you think it is?)

Who gets the point? Source: The Chefs' Line

(Yeah it is! All three of you for the win!)

[Mel] YEAH!

(Has anyone cooked with it in Spanish week?)

[Mel] We haven't cooked Spanish week yet, but someone has cooked with it in...French week! 

(What do you recommend using it in?)

[Dan] Um, chorizo! 

[Mark] ...Kangaroo...

[Mel] Paella, of course.

[Dan] Sprinkled over octopus! 

[Mark] With wallaby...nice. Marinated with a bit of wallaby; it's nice. 

Have we got your attention and your tastebuds? The Chefs’ Line airs every weeknight at 6pm on SBS followed by an encore screening at 9.30pm on SBS Food Network. Episodes will be available after broadcast via SBS On Demand. Join the conversation #TheChefsLine on Instagram @sbsfood, Facebook @SBSFood and Twitter @SBS_Food. Check out sbs.com.au/thechefsline for episode guides, cuisine lowdowns, recipes and more!