Urfa Pepper (Isot) | The Unique Ingredient of Şanlıurfa Cuisine
- Havrani
- Aug 31
- 5 min read
Şanlıurfa is celebrated for its traditional recipes adorned with unique flavor profiles and its layered culinary culture. Urfa pepper, aka isot, is the secret of many old recipes and a pillar of Şanlıurfa's culinary heritage.
We'll dive into the story of isot, from the domestication of the pepper plant to its spread around the world, from the making of isot to its benefits. We'll explore recipes with isot and how they're tied to Şanlıurfa cuisine.
The Journey of Pepper | How Did It Spread to the World?
Pepper is a plant of the genus Capsicum, and it's native to South America. Capsicum annuum or pepper is a flowering plant that belongs to the nightshade family.
Pepper plants are perennial in the warmer regions of the world. They can be consumed fresh, dried, or after going through a variety of processes. Most pepper plants—as we're all familiar with—have a sharp flavor profile.
Pepper is rich in provitamins, vitamins E and C. It has both anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant properties.
It typically produces red, yellow, and green fruit.
Domestication of Pepper
Scientists believe the domestication of pepper dates back to ancient times, around 7000 BC. Domesticated pepper likely evolved from wild ancestors in Bolivia and Peru. It's even mentioned in inscriptions from the Mayan and Aztec civilizations that inhabited the region now bordering Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Bolivia.
Spread of Pepper
With the discovery of the Americas, pepper was brought to Europe. Initially used only as an ornamental plant, it later spread to Asia and Africa through the travels of Spanish and Portuguese traders. Over time, it became a widely consumed plant worldwide.
Thanks to their wide variety of culinary uses and significant health benefits, peppers continue to grow in popularity today. While spicy peppers are a common dietary staple in tropical climates, milder relatives are more favored in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is believed that pepper was introduced to Turkey in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 2021, Türkiye became the third-largest pepper producer in the world, with over 3 million tons.
Pepper in Şanlıurfa Cuisine
Pepper is a key element of Urfa cuisine. Locals use it to make tomato paste, pickles, dried peppers, and spices.
These ingredients are the base of many traditional recipes, deepening the flavor profile of dishes cooked in Urfa's historic homes and bazaars.
Isot, a spice made from peppers, is among the classic ingredients in local cuisine.
How is Isot Made?
To make isot, locals cut peppers into small pieces and dry the pieces under sunlight.
The process of grinding pepper for isot is called yakma (burning) in the local dialect.
During the grinding process, they wash and drain the peppers, cut them into quarters and cut off the stems. After removing the seeds, they lay the peppers out on a cloth, with the insides facing up. They then leave it to dry under sunlight for 2-3 days.
Later they put peppers in a bag and leave them to sweat. After removing the bags, they add salt and boiled-cooled water.
After the final drying phase, peppers are ground into isot. Depending on the length of the process, the color of the isot can be red, purple, or black.
Just like with many spices, producing isot has its own set of risks. Isot, as well as other spices, may contain aflatoxin—a substance harmful to human health.
Various studies examining isot and chili pepper samples from the Southeastern Anatolia region emphasize that aflatoxin levels in most samples were below the limits set by the Turkish Food Codex and European Commission regulations.
Yet there are also studies highlighting that aflatoxin levels in some samples were well above those limits.
So it's important to go with certified products and trusted brands.
Difference between isot and red ground pepper
Red pepper flakes and isot are sometimes used interchangeably. However, the two spices have different properties:
Isot has a more pungent and spicier flavor profile than red pepper flakes.
Isot is aged in the sun for a longer period than red pepper flakes.
With longer exposure, isot can turn purple or black, in addition to red.
While red pepper flakes are produced in many regions, isot is unique to Urfa. Also known as Urfa pepper, isot is protected as a geographical indication.
Rather than being an alternative to red pepper flakes, Urfa pepper stands out with its unique flavor. It's among the native ingredients that embellish Urfa dishes with their unique flavor.
Şanlıurfa Recipes With Isot
Isot is an essential ingredient of many traditional recipes:
Çiğköfte With Urfa Pepper: Perhaps the most popular of the recipes with isot. It's a dish enjoyed by the people of Şanlıurfa, either on its own or as an accompaniment to various dishes.
Döğmeç With Urfa Pepper: It is prepared by kneading a mixture containing dry bread, isot, Urfa cheese, tomatoes and peppers.
Isot Pot: It is prepared from ingredients that have become symbols of Şanlıurfa food culture, such as isot, frankincense and plain butter.
Tabbouleh Urfa Pepper: Prepared with isot, bulgur, pepper and greens.
Isot Sherbet: One of the most unique isot recipes. It's made by adding water with cloves and cinnamon sticks into pepper water, made from sweet and hot peppers.
In addition to these special recipes, isot is also widely used in Urfa-style lahmacun, stuffed meatballs, stuffed vegetables, kısır, kebab dishes, various salads, soups and desserts.
Isot's wide use in the region is not only a result of the distinct flavor. Urfa pepper is also known to have many benefits.
Health Benefits of Urfa Pepper
Locals consume isot not only for its taste, but also for its various benefits:
It has antioxidant properties, so it helps cleanse the body of toxins.
Its spiciness helps speed up the human metabolism and facilitates fat burning.
Helps digestion.
It's an appetizing spice.
People of Şanlıurfa are familiar with the benefits and brilliant flavors of isot dishes. Various events are held in Urfa every year to introduce isot to more people and celebrate this native ingredient of Urfa cuisine. The most well-known of these is the Isot Festival.
URFES | Isot Festival
The International Isot Festival has been held annually since 2017 to promote the well-known benefits and gastronomic value of the Urfa pepper. Many local and international guests attend the festivals. Festivals feature a variety of events, including hot pepper eating contests, çiğ köfte making contests, and isot harvests.
At URFES 2022, a recipe containing 63 different Urfa peppers was prepared and offered to the guests, as an ode to the Şanlıurfa provincial plate number.
Festivals also encourage pepper cultivation in Urfa. They emphasize the importance of producing high-quality pepper crops, as part of the city's rich culinary heritage.
Long Journey of the Urfa Pepper
Capsicum annuum, one of the oldest domesticated plants, continued to spread across continents for millennia. On its journey from South America, it was processed through the culinary practices of different civilizations and took on new forms. Isot was shaped by the wisdom of the ancient city of Şanlıurfa, one that's been home to dozens of civilizations.
References
Ardic, M. et al. (2008) ‘Determination of aflatoxin B1 levels in deep-red ground pepper (ISOT) using immunoaffinity column combined with Elisa’, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46(5), pp. 1596–1599. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2007.12.025.
Rodríguez-Burruezo, A. et al. (2009) ‘Variation for bioactive compounds in ají (capsicum baccatum L.) and Rocoto (C. pubescens R. & P.) and implications for breeding’, Euphytica, 170(1–2), pp. 169–181. doi:10.1007/s10681-009-9916-5.
Cutler, H.C. (1968) ‘Origins of agriculture in the Americas’, Latin American Research Review, 3(4), pp. 3–22. doi:10.1017/s0023879100029083.
Cutler, H.C. (1968) ‘Origins of agriculture in the Americas’, Latin American Research Review, 3(4), pp. 3–22. doi:10.1017/s0023879100029083.
Krishna De, A. (Ed.). (2003). Capsicum: The genus Capsicum (1st ed.). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203381151
Hervert-Hernández, D., Sáyago-Ayerdi, S.G. and Goñi, I. (2010b) ‘Bioactive compounds of four hot pepper varieties (capsicum annuum L.), antioxidant capacity, and intestinal bioaccessibility’, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58(6), pp. 3399–3406. doi:10.1021/jf904220w.
