Koral Paprika – a cherry pepper that makes the tapas table dangerously good
What makes Koral Paprika special
Koral Paprika chilli seeds are a variety that often surprises the first time you grow it: small, round pods that look gentle – but give a clear, pleasant heat. This is a cherry pepper (sometimes called cherry pepper) that gives masses of pods 2–3 cm in size that ripen from green to bright red. Perfect when you want a chilli that is easy to use in cooking, but which at the same time looks ridiculously good pickled, as tapas or stuffed and oven-baked.
It is the kind of chilli you like to pick at different stages too: green pods for a fresher note, red for a rounder flavour and more ‘sweet pepper feel’.
Background and name
Koral (sometimes written Korál) is an established cherry pepper often highlighted as a really good variety for pot growing and greenhouses. The name refers to the small, round pods that sit like ‘pearls’ on the plant. In the seed world it often ends up on the borderline between sweet pepper and chilli – and that is entirely reasonable, because it is definitely more than just a sweet pepper.
Appearance and growth habit
Koral Paprika belongs to the species Capsicum annuum, which makes it relatively fast and easy to succeed with. The plant usually becomes compact to medium-tall and suits a pot, balcony box or greenhouse well.
The pods are small and round, often 2–3 cm, with relatively thin walls compared with large sweet peppers. They develop green and ripen on to red. A fun thing about Koral is that it often sets plenty of pods over the season, so it can look properly ‘fully loaded’ once it gets going.
Estimated Scoville heat
Koral Paprika is usually given as around 15,000 SHU.
Heat class: Mild
It is, in other words, a chilli that you feel clearly, but that is still easy to use in everyday food without everything going off the rails.
Flavour and uses
The flavour is classic for an annuum with a clear ‘sweet-pepper-chilli’ character: clean, slightly peppery and with a heat that arrives fairly quickly but doesn’t become brutal. That is exactly why Koral suits dishes so well where you want the chilli to be an ingredient, not just a spice in the background.
Koral Paprika is particularly nice for:
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tapas and grazing boards
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pickles and preserves
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stuffed little ‘chilli bombs’ in the oven or on the grill
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stews and tomato-based dishes where you want controlled heat
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drying into flakes (handy format and good sting)
Ways to use Koral Paprika
The most classic (and honestly tastiest) way to use Koral is to pickle the pods whole. They look good in a jar, are easy to dose and are perfect to bring out as an accompaniment to everything from pizza to grilled food.
Want to take it a step further: try stuffing them. A simple cream cheese filling or a slightly more ‘grown-up’ variant with cheese and herbs makes this variety feel made for the tapas table. And since the heat is medium you get a sting without it taking over the whole experience.
How to grow Koral Paprika
Koral Paprika belongs to the species Capsicum annuum.
Sowing time: February – April.
Start indoors and give the plants plenty of light early so they become sturdy and compact. Koral does excellently in a pot and likes warmth and sun, preferably in a greenhouse or a warm, sheltered spot outdoors. Harvest regularly to keep fruit set going – this variety usually responds by continuing to produce for a long time when you pick continuously.
The price is for 6 chilli seeds
Sow in moist seed compost and keep warm, at about 25–30°C for best germination The compost should be moist but not wet. A propagator helps to keep the air humid. Once the seedlings have grown a little and developed their second pair of leaves, you can lower the temperature to about 20°C and take them out of the propagator. They do well on a sunny windowsill, in a greenhouse and outdoors in summer. For best results, soak the seeds in Growhelper for 12–24 hours before sowing.
