Urfa biber (also known as isot pepper, ) is a spice prepared from

landrace A landrace is a Domestication, domesticated, locally adapted, often traditional variety of a species of animal or plant that has developed over time, through adaptation to its natural and cultural Environment (biophysical), environment of agric ...

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 ...

'' in the

Urfa Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa (), is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. The city was known as Edessa from Hellenistic period, Hellenistic times and into Christian times. Urfa is situated on a plain abo ...

region of Turkey. It is often described as having a smoky,

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 taste. Urfa biber is technically a red (chili) pepper, ripening to a dark maroon on the plant. The peppers go through a two-part process, where they are sun-dried during the day and wrapped tightly at night. The night process is called 'sweating', and works to infuse the dried flesh with the remaining moisture of the pepper. The result is an appearance ranging from deep purple to a dark, purplish black. Urfa biber is less spicy than many other

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

s, but provides a more lasting build of heat. The

pungency Pungency ( ) is the taste of food commonly referred to as spiciness, hotness or heat, found in foods such as chili peppers. Highly pungent tastes may be experienced as unpleasant. The term piquancy ( ) is sometimes applied to foods with a lower ...

of the urfa biber is 7,500 SHU 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 ...

. The Urfa pepper is a protected geographic indication in Turkey, with the official name "Urfa isot pepper" (''Urfa isot biberi'').

Etymology

According to the lexicographer

Sevan Nişanyan Sevan Nişanyan (; born 21 December 1956) is a Turkish-Armenian writer, fugitive and lexicographer. Author of a number of books, Nişanyan was awarded the Ayşe Nur Zarakolu Liberty Award of the Turkish Human Rights Association in 2004 for his con ...

, the name ''isot'' evolved from ''ısı ot'' (), meaning "pepper" in regional Turkish. The term ''ısı ot'' () has been attested in Turkish in multiple sources since late 15th century. In Hamit Zübeyir Koşay and 's book from 1932, ''Anadilden Derlemeler'', this term was included as ''ısıot'' and ''isot''. In Kurdish isot means pepper.

Production

The harvesting and processing of Urfa peppers takes place from August to October. Workers are exposed to extreme heat of up to 40-50 °C. Extreme heat adversely affects the process. Isot can be produced in two ways: traditional and industrial (or fabricated). The two methods result in products with significantly different colors; the fabricated isot has a browner color, with fewer

carotenoid Carotenoids () are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, corn, tomatoes, cana ...

s, than the traditional kind. In traditional isot production, workers remove the stems and clean the seeds and then cut the peppers into 2 or 3 slices. Then the peppers are left out in the sun to dry for about a week, making sure that none are overlapping. Once finished, the peppers are kept out in the sun in tightly sealed bags in a process known as "sweating". Once per day, workers turn the bags upside down so both sides get sunlight. To keep the bags warm during the night, they are covered with cloths. This "sweating" is what gives the peppers the desired dark red or purplish color. Once the peppers have darkened enough, which usually takes about a week, they are taken out of the bags and spread out on the floor to sun-dry again. Once this final drying is finished, the peppers are usually processed immediately. Producers grind them up and add a small amount of salt, which prevents the flakes from forming large clumps. Some olive oil may also be added at this stage. The crushed peppers are typically sold to consumers about 3 to 5 days after grinding. In fabricated isot production, which is faster than the traditional method, the peppers are cut into slices and then either sun-dried or heated in an oven to get down to 15% humidity. They are then ground up. Workers then add water to increase their moisture content to 25-27%, and then the crushed peppers are friction-heated to 60-65 °C by being passed through a screw-shaped helix. Then they are kept in wooden containers for 30 to 36 hours while being heated up to 80-90 °C. This process, known as "kneading", simulates the traditional "sweating" process by causing the peppers to acquire a darker color. As an alternative to crushing, the peppers can be pickled. Pickled Urfa biber is not typically found outside of Turkey because it is not exported.

Flavor

The sun-drying process gives Urfa biber a distinct smoky flavor, although it is not smoked. The presence of

tannin Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and Precipitation (chemistry), precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' is widel ...

s gives it a complex flavor, reminiscent of wine, tobacco or chocolate. It is somewhat, but not wholly, sweet, and it also has heat and acidity.

Culinary use

The finished product is used to add flavor and color to a wide range of dishes, including local specialties like çiğ köfte and lahmacun. It is often combined with

cumin Cumin (, ; ; ''Cuminum cyminum'') is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region. Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the cuisines of many cultures in both whole ...

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 ...

, sesame seeds, or onion. It is traditionally used in Turkey in meat and savoury foods.

History

The Syrian Civil War caused export of the popular

Aleppo pepper The Aleppo pepper (, ALA-LC: ''fulful Ḥalabī''; ) is a moderately spicy variety of ''Capsicum annuum'' used as a spice, particularly in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Also known as the Halaby pepper, its pods are ripened ...

to drop dramatically. As a result, Urfa biber gained international popularity during the 2010s as a substitute.

References

External links

Extra Spicy: ''At Kalustyan’s Café, chef Mohan Ismail’s Indian-influenced menu showcases the world of exotic spices sold at the famed market across the street''Photo of Urfa Biber–Spiced Shrimp with Coconut Cream by Craig Koketsu
at the

James Beard Foundation The James Beard Foundation is an American non-profit culinary arts organization based in New York City. It was named after James Beard, a food writer, teacher, and cookbook author. Its programs include guest-chef dinners to scholarships for asp ...

's 'Chefs & Champagne 07.21.07' {{Cuisine of Turkey, dish Capsicum Turkish cuisine Turkish words and phrases Spices