Description

What is Isot chilli and where does it come from?

Isot chilli is a dried Turkish chilli pepper – or, more precisely, a chilli paprika – grown in the Urfa region near the Syrian border, which is why it is sometimes also called Urfa Biber or Isot Biber.

The Turks have been growing Urfa Biber for centuries, and it is a truly unique chilli much loved by fans of Turkish cuisine. Unlike Europeans, Turks do not use much black pepper in their everyday cooking. Instead, they favour chillies, and so the Isot chilli plays an important role in their cuisine, being used mainly in meat and savoury dishes.

As the wonderful Urfa Biber is gaining increasing recognition and fame in Europe and elsewhere in the world, we’ve included a delicious recipe at the end of this article. This way, you can experience the fantastic flavour of Urfa pepper for yourself.

How is Isot chilli pepper made?

The chilli plant produces pods which turn carmine red as they ripen. The subsequent processing is a slow process. They are dried in the sun during the day; direct sunlight turns the pods a chestnut brown.

After being left to ripen in the sun, the chillies are carefully wrapped up overnight. ‘Sweating’ (as the peppers remain moist under the cover) is a night-time procedure designed to preserve the remaining moisture in the dried peppers.Once the peppers have turned a deep, dark colour, they are completely ready.

The next step is to crush the pods into small flakes and add a little salt before packing, to prevent the flakes from sticking together. The end result is a colour ranging from deep purple to purplish-black, accompanied by a divine aroma.

The Isot chilli is also often described as having a smoky, sweet flavour. This uniquely coloured chilli surprises with its mild heat and hints of fruity and chocolatey flavours. Its beautiful colour makes it an ideal garnish; sprinkled over a dish, it’s sure to catch everyone’s eye! We recommend adding Isot chilli to meat, potatoes, broccoli and other vegetables, as well as to cream cheese, sauces and soups.

Is this a hot chilli?

Urfa Biber is milder than many other chillies.

The Isot chilli has a heat level of 35,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. By way of comparison, a jalapeño is usually around 2,500–5,000 SHU. Meanwhile, the world’s hottest chilli is the Carolina Reaper, which has a heat level of 2.2 million SHU.

How to use it?

The Isot chilli is said to be ‘every gourmet’s best friend’ – a must-have in every kitchen.

This chilli simply enhances everything it comes into contact with. It has a tangy, hot and salty flavour.

Turks love to mix chilli pepper with cumin, onion, paprika and seeds, and then use it in sauces, soups and so on. They combine Urfa Biber with yoghurt or cream cheese to make a dip or spread. The chilli adds a mild flavour along with a beautiful red colour.

Thanks to its unique properties, it’s so easy to use at home – there’s no need to cook or prepare it; simply sprinkle it on everything.

A brilliant recipe for Isot chilli:

Aubergine with Isot chilli and yoghurt

You’ll need:

• 1 aubergine, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1½ tablespoons of Salt’sUp Isot chilli
• 2 tsp roasted cumin seeds
• 1 cup of strained yoghurt (we recommend Greek yoghurt)
• To garnish: a handful of chopped coriander

Method:

• First, chop the aubergine and season with salt. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• Next, heat a cast-iron pan and drizzle in just enough olive oil to coat the aubergine. Stir for five minutes. Reduce the heat, add the garlic, cumin and Salt’sUp Isot Chilli.
• Simmer until the aubergine has softened. After a couple of minutes, pour over the yoghurt and heat until the yoghurt thickens.
• Garnish with coriander and voilà – enjoy.