18 x 49 ironing board cover_70 inch tablecloth

I use cornflour as a thickening agent in my sauce. The mixture may look watery at first, but after the cornflour slurry (equal parts cornflour and water) is added, it develops a thicker consistency. However, you can also use potato starch or tapioca starch if that’s what you have on hand.

There are three different types of paprika; this spice is either sweet, or hot, or smoked. Understanding these three characteristics often help determine where a particular kind of paprika is from. “Regular” paprika tends to be sweeter, not really hot, and can be from California, Hungary, or South America. There are 8 different kinds of Hungarian paprika, and they can be sweet, hot, or pungent, and range in color from vibrant red to light brown. Spanish paprika is usually smoked, and can be mild or hot.  

That said, black pepper or white pepper has a distinct spiciness and heat level that can match what paprika brings to the table. In fact, I add the same amount of ground black pepper or white pepper when using it to substitute hot paprika in my recipe.