Urfa Biber (Black Urfa Chili)

In southeastern Turkey, you'll find black Urfa chili (or its uncured red variety) on almost every table. It's delicious on kebabs and other grilled meats and veggies, cooked into stews and chilis, in salad dressings, sprinkled on fluffy scrambled eggs, and even mixed into brownies and other chocolate desserts for a little extra depth and a hint of heat. After being cured, the black Urfa chili is packed with salt and a little sunflower seed oil to preserve its natural texture and flavor and prevent it from drying out.Black Urfa Chili starts out as a red, sweet and spicy pepper almost identical to the more famous Aleppo pepper. It's grown in the hills around the ancient Turkish city of Urfa, where the hot, dry days, cold nights and sandy soil are part of its unique terroir. After harvesting, it's cured in the sun, where it changes color from red to black and develops its characteristic flavor profile, reminiscent of chocolate and dried fruits, with a lingering burn. It goes through a final stone-grinding step, ground into flakes between massive granite wheels with a little bit of sea salt and sunflower seed oil.The oil helps preserve its natural texture and flavor and prevents it from drying out (and is delicious too!) ‍