The Aleppo pepper (,

ALA-LC ALA-LC (American Library AssociationLibrary of Congress) is a set of standards for romanization, the representation of text in other writing systems using the Latin script. Applications The system is used to represent bibliographic information by ...

: ''fulful Ḥalabī''; ) is a moderately spicy variety of ''

Capsicum annuum ''Capsicum annuum'' is a fruiting plant from the family Solanaceae (nightshades), within the genus Capsicum which is native to the northern regions of South America and to southwestern North America. The plant produces Berry, berries of many color ...

'' used as a

spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

, particularly in Turkish,

Middle Eastern The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

and Mediterranean cuisine. Also known as the Halaby pepper, its pods are ripened to a burgundy color, then semi-dried, de-seeded, and crushed or coarsely ground. The pepper flakes are known in Turkey as ''pul biber'' (''pul'' = flake, ''biber'' = pepper), and in Armenia as ''Halebi bibar''. In Turkey, ''pul biber'' is the third most commonly used spice, after salt and black pepper. In Arabic, the pepper is named after

Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

, a long-inhabited city along the

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

in northern Syria, and is grown in Syria and Turkey. Chiles originated in South America and were among the New World crops, like potatoes and tomatoes. Although it is a common

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to enhance the Flavoring, flavour, to complement the dish or to impart a specific flavor. Such specific flavors generally add sweetness or pungency, or sharp or piquant ...

, its use in Europe and the United States outside Armenian, Syrian and Turkish immigrant communities was rare until the 21st century, with ''

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

'' magazine dating its rise in use among the broader U.S. population to the 1994 edition of ''The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean'' by Paula Wolfert.

Characteristics

The Aleppo pepper has a moderate heat level of about 10,000 on the

Scoville scale The Scoville scale is a measurement of spiciness of chili peppers and other substances, recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU). It is based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component. The scale ...

, with some fruitiness and mild, cumin-like undertones. Its flavor is similar to the ancho chile, but oilier and slightly salty;

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

is often used in the drying process. It is fairly mild, with its heat building slowly, with a fruity,

raisin A raisin is a Dried fruit, dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Afri ...

-like flavor. It has also been described as having the flavor of "sweetness, roundness and perfume of the best kind of sundried tomatoes, but with a substantial kick behind it". Some renowned chefs prefer Aleppo pepper for its "fruity and bright qualities."

Uses

The most common use is in the form of crushed flakes, which are typically slightly milder and oilier than conventional crushed red pepper, with a hint of saltiness and a slightly raisin-like flavor. Unlike crushed red pepper, the flakes contain no inner flesh or seeds, contributing to the mildness. Crushed Aleppo pepper can be used as a substitute for crushed red pepper or

paprika Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers, traditionally ''capsicum annuum''. It can have varying levels of Pungency, heat, but the peppers used for hot paprika tend to be milder and have thinner flesh than those used to produce ...

. The spice is a common ingredient in some of the dishes that comprise a meze.

References

External links

* {{Mediterranean cuisine Aleppo Arab spices Capsicum cultivars Chili peppers Mediterranean cuisine Medicinal plants of Europe Medicinal plants of Asia Middle Eastern cuisine Spices

Characteristics

Uses

See also

References

External links