Urfa Biber

Urfa biber, also called isot, is a variety of the chile pepper species Capsicum annuum in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Grown in southeastern Turkey, it gets its unique character from the way it’s processed: the dark red pods are sun-dried by day, then wrapped to “sweat” overnight, a gentle fermentation that turns them near-black, semi-moist, and oily. Their finished form is dry flakes that taste of raisin, dark chocolate, coffee, and tobacco. They’re smoky despite never actually being smoked, and carry a mild, slow-building heat.