Turkish Isot Pepper Flakes (Urfa Biber) — Smoky Sun-Dried Chili, 80g

Isot biber, better known outside Turkey as Urfa pepper, is the dark, almost black-maroon chili flake that gives southeastern Turkish cooking its signature deep colour and slow, smoky heat. These coarse flakes are sun-dried by day and wrapped tight at night in a traditional step called "sweating," which works the pepper's own moisture back into the flesh and turns it that distinctive purplish-black. The result tastes nothing like a sharp red chili: think smoky and earthy with a raisin-like sweetness, a whisper of tobacco and chocolate, and a gentle heat that builds slowly rather than hitting all at once. Mild-to-medium on the scale, it adds depth before it adds fire. Urfa pepper comes from the Urfa (Şanlıurfa) region of southeastern Turkey, where it is grown and processed each year from late summer into autumn. It is recognised in Turkey as a protected regional product under the name Urfa isot biberi. Unlike most dried chili flakes, isot has a slightly moist, oily texture — a small amount of oil and salt is worked in during grinding — so the flakes cling beautifully to meat and bread instead of scattering off. This is the chili behind çiğ köfte, lahmacun and Urfa-style kebabs, but it reaches far beyond them. Sprinkle it over grilled and roasted meats, stir it into soups and stews, fold it through acılı ezme (Turkish spicy pepper-tomato paste), or scatter it across salads and pide. Its moist texture makes it a natural in dry rubs and marinades, and it is excellent finishing eggs, hummus, roasted vegetables and lamb. Because the heat is restrained, you can be generous — it seasons a dish with smoke and colour as much as with spice. Ingredients are simple and honest: isot pepper, salt and a touch of vegetable oil. Nothing else. Sun-dried chili the way it has been made in the region for generations, in an 80g pack. Store in a cool, dry place and keep the pack sealed to hold the aroma.