Urfa biber
Flaked Urfa biber
Genus	Capsicum
Species	Capsicum annuum
Origin	Urfa, Turkey
Heat	Medium
Scoville scale	7,500 SHU

Urfa biber (also known as isot pepper, /ɪˈsoʊt/) is a spice prepared from landrace Capsicum annuum^[1] in the Urfa region of Turkey. It is often described as having a smoky, raisin-like taste.^[2] Urfa biber is technically a red (chili) pepper, ripening to a dark maroon on the plant. The peppers go through a two-part process, where they are sun-dried during the day and wrapped tightly at night. The night process is called 'sweating', and works to infuse the dried flesh with the remaining moisture of the pepper.^[3] The result is an appearance ranging from deep purple to a dark, purplish black. Urfa biber is less spicy than many other chili peppers, but provides a more lasting build of heat.

The pungency of the urfa biber is 7,500 SHU on the Scoville scale.^[4]

The Urfa pepper is a protected geographic indication in Turkey, with the official name "Urfa isot pepper" (Urfa isot biberi).^[5]: 205

According to the lexicographer Sevan Nişanyan, the name isot evolved from ısı ot (lit. 'hot weed'), meaning "pepper" in regional Turkish. The term ısı ot (Ottoman Turkish: ایصی اوت) has been attested in Turkish in multiple sources since late 15th century. In Hamit Zübeyir Koşay and İshak Işıtman [tr]'s book from 1932, Anadilden Derlemeler, this term was included as ısıot and isot.^[6]

The harvesting and processing of Urfa peppers takes place from August to October.^[7] Workers are exposed to extreme heat of up to 40-50 °C.^[7] Extreme heat adversely affects the process.^{[5]: 211 [7]}

Isot can be produced in two ways: traditional and industrial (or fabricated).^[5]: 205 The two methods result in products with significantly different colors; the fabricated isot has a browner color, with fewer carotenoids, than the traditional kind.^[5]: 211

In traditional isot production, workers remove the stems and clean the seeds and then cut the peppers into 2 or 3 slices.^{[5]: 205 [7]} Then the peppers are left out in the sun to dry for about a week, making sure that none are overlapping.^[7] Once finished, the peppers are kept out in the sun in tightly sealed bags in a process known as "sweating".^{[5]: 205 [7]} Once per day, workers turn the bags upside down so both sides get sunlight.^[7] To keep the bags warm during the night, they are covered with cloths.^[5]: 207 This "sweating" is what gives the peppers the desired dark red or purplish color.^[5]: 205 Once the peppers have darkened enough, which usually takes about a week, they are taken out of the bags and spread out on the floor to sun-dry again.^[7] Once this final drying is finished, the peppers are usually processed immediately.^[8] Producers grind them up and add a small amount of salt, which prevents the flakes from forming large clumps.^[8] Some olive oil may also be added at this stage.^[5]: 205 The crushed peppers are typically sold to consumers about 3 to 5 days after grinding.^[7]

In fabricated isot production, which is faster than the traditional method, the peppers are cut into slices and then either sun-dried or heated in an oven to get down to 15% humidity.^[5]: 205 They are then ground up.^[5]: 205 Workers then add water to increase their moisture content to 25-27%, and then the crushed peppers are friction-heated to 60-65 °C by being passed through a screw-shaped helix.^[5]: 205 Then they are kept in wooden containers for 30 to 36 hours while being heated up to 80-90 °C.^[5]: 205 This process, known as "kneading", simulates the traditional "sweating" process by causing the peppers to acquire a darker color.^[5]: 205

As an alternative to crushing, the peppers can be pickled.^[8] Pickled Urfa biber is not typically found outside of Turkey because it isn't exported.^[8]

The sun-drying process gives Urfa biber a distinct smoky flavor, although it isn't smoked.^[8] The presence of tannins gives it a complex flavor, reminiscent of wine, tobacco or chocolate.^[8] It is somewhat, but not wholly, sweet, and it also has heat and acidity.^[8]

The finished product is used to add flavor and color to a wide range of dishes, including local specialties like çiğ köfte and lahmacun.^{[5]: 204–5} It is often combined with cumin, paprika, sesame seeds, or onion.^[8] It is traditionally used in Turkey in meat and savoury foods.^[9]

The Syrian Civil War caused export of the popular Aleppo pepper to drop dramatically.^[8] As a result, Urfa biber gained international popularity during the 2010s as a substitute.^[8]

• Aleppo pepper

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