Urfa biber

In demand by chefs

Urfa Biber Chillies are Turkish Chillies that are grown in Urfa, in Southern Turkey on the Syrian border. They are dried and then crushed into the  dark, burgundy coloured flakes, much loved by chefs the world over -Urfa pepper

Urfa Biber Chillies get dried in a process called sweating . They are dried in the sun, but instead of allowing them to dry out completely, farmers regularly turn them and wrap or cover them in plastic or fabric at night. This procedure ensures that some moisture is retained and the essential oils remain intact in the skins of the Chillies. During this process, the Chillies turn from red to thedark burgundy colour they are recognised for. They are then crushed and used to season food as a pepper.

Dried Urfa Biber flakes deep flavour is described as sweet, salty and smoky,  with notes of chocolates and raisins. A pleasant pungency follows these flavours. This flavour is similar to the Aleppo Chilli, which is grown in neighbouring Syria.

The Urfa Biber is of the Capsicum Annuum species. It resembles a long thin Bell pepper in appearance. It grows to between four inches and eight inches in length, with a width of two inches with a tapering end.   It has thinner walls than a bell pepper.  It turns from green through orange to a dark maroon colour, before being harvested for drying. The bush that fruit grows on get to about three feet in height.  The Urfa Biber has a Scoville rating of 30000 to 50000 SHU

Besides being ground into a spice, Urfa Bibers can be used fresh. They are very flavourful when stuffed, as Rellenos, roasted or used  in spicy stews and casseroles. Recipes using Urfa Biber include Lahmacun ( Turkish beef mince pizza), Bulgur Köfte  ( Bulgar wheat with lamb), Urfa Kebab ( skewered lamb mince with tail fat and peppers) and Hunkar Begendi (lamb stew with eggplant puree).  The spice can also be used to add zest to desserts and baking. It can also be used for sprinkling over pasta dishes and a general seasoning for everyday meals with  eggs or cheese .

Aleppo Chilli flakes can be used as a substitute, and as a very last resort, Kashmiri Fflakes crushed together with dried Cayennes for pungency.