Eastanbul Urfa Biber Pepper, 5.6oz Urfa Pepper Flakes, Mild-Moderately Hot Pepper Flakes, Blackish-Red Pepper Flakes, Special Pul Biber, From Unique Spices of Urfa Chili Flakes AKA Isot, Urfa Spice

We were recently introduced to this spice. And wanted to find it. We tried this and it’s very tasty.

I feel so fortunate to have grown up in southern California where restaurants reflecting the cuisines of so many cultures are based. Hence, even though there were ones I didn’t see or try until well into adulthood, my culinary curiousness has brought me in contact with the “fantastic-ness” that is the world of heretofore unknown spices.

Urfa is a town in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border. One of its lesser-known chilis outside the country but one well worth learning about, is Urfa Biber or the red pepper flakes cultivated in this region. With a dark red color, irregularly-sized flakes and a flavor that is described, variously, as partly salty, smoky, sweet-sour, with a hint of the tannins in chocolate and wine. There’s also heat but unlike many of its hotter cousins, this one’s heat IS a flavor that lingers on your tongue rather than burns it.

Aside from the flavor, what makes these chilis a bit different is that while the farmers of the region let them dry in the sun, they also cover them at night with fabric or plastic, sometimes even bags, allowing them to “sweat” or preserve some of the natural oils of the skin. The result is that this ground pepper has some oiliness that is unique. Note that I said it has some oiliness, not that it is oily. It is not. The pepper is dry-ish so you can easily measure out what you want or sprinkle it on food with your fingers. The impression is that it is a soft dryness.

And so tasty! I have long been addicted to a Turkish egg dish called Cilbir. It calls for poached eggs, though I sometimes use sautéed ones. And it’s delicious, especially now with these pepper flakes. The container notes that the ingredients consist of red pepper, salt and edible vegetable oil. It does come from Turkey.

One blogger notes that she uses it to add color to dips; mixee it with equal parts sumac and salt and then sprinkles it on grilled watermelon; rubs it on the rim of her margarita glass; sprinkles on a summer tomato in combination with flaky sea salt; adds it to salad dressings; and tops pizza for a hint of smokiness. (I plan to try it on a margarita pizza.)

While writing this review I tasted it by itself several times trying to get a handle on the complex flavors. Even without anything to balance it, the spice was, well, tasty. And now I am wondering it might even work on—this is a unique idea and maybe a crazy one–homemade vanilla ice cream. We’ll see. I promise to update this when I try it no matter the result. I might be crazy, but I just might be right.

Highly Recommended!

This is the first brand of urfa pepper that I’ve bought. A new recipe that sounded good called for it, so I got some. The fragrance has overtones of coffee and chocolate. It’s not very hot and imparts a wonderful flavor to the bean dish that I bought if for and I can see it having a starring place in a chili recipe. It has a permanent place in my spice cabinet.

I tried Eastanbul’s Urfa Biber chili flakes for the first time, and I have to say, it was quite the discovery. It has a smoky flavor with just a mild spicy kick that’s not overwhelming at all. The taste is so good that I can enjoy the chili by itself, which says a lot.

I even sprinkled it on pizza, and it added a nice depth to the flavors. It’s a versatile spice, natural and free from GMOs, plus it’s vegan and halal. The fact that it comes from Turkey, a region rich in culinary history, adds to its charm. The bottle is handy, with a shaker top that makes it easy to use, and keeps the chili fresh. If you’re looking to try a new type of chili that’s flavorful without being too hot, Urfa Biber is worth a shot.

The safety seal on my product was misaligned and therefore broken already when opened. Didn’t allow for refund. Money wasted!!