published Sep 13, 2021 Do you have a favorite condiment – one that tastes so good you want to eat it with everything? Whether they’re spicy or sweet, pepper pastes are a favorite of mine. Moroccan harissa, Korean gochujang sauce, and Middle Eastern zhoug sauce are among the top on my list of favorite spicy chili pastes. But sweet peppers can be used to make fantastic condiments as well Sweet pepper pastes are delicious in dressings for salads like kisir, and I like to stir a bit into Moroccan shakshuka, too. This Turkish red pepper paste can be made with or without spicy chiles. I prefer the one with a little heat. Basically, the condiment is to Turkish cuisine what tomato paste is to Italian.
Turkish Pepper Paste
Cuisine: Middle Eastern / Turkish The sweet salcasi pepper is native to Turkey and apparently, it’s a bit finicky to grow. However, if it gets proper nutrition and water, it can leave you with a massive bounty. Turks are known to get together with family or friends to clean and trim the fresh red peppers so that large batches of biber salcasi can be prepared. Preparation: Sun dried, oven-roasted, or grilledDifficulty: Easy 🥄Description: Thick condiment paste, deep red in color, with sweet and mildly spicy flavors.
Variations of Biber Salcasi
By no means is this a traditional recipe for Turkish pepper paste. For starters, it can be very difficult to find the Turkish peppers in the U.S. Secondly, there are many different variations of biber salcasi. Some are completely sweet, while others (like this one) include a few chile peppers to kick up the heat. Additionally, some recipes call for drying the peppers out in the sun for several days. While that sounds delicious, I want my recipe to be easy and quick to make. So, instead of sun drying salcasi peppers, I use a different approach, roasting sweet bell peppers in the oven.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
If you live in Europe or the Middle East, you may be able to get your hands on Turkish red peppers. If so, consider yourself lucky and definitely use them.
Red bell peppers– If you live in Europe or the Middle East, you may be able to get your hands on some of the actual Turkish red peppers. If so, consider yourself lucky and definitely use them!Chiles– You can find fresh long red chiles in most Middle Eastern markets, known by the names Urfa biber or Isot pepper. They have a smoky, raisin-like flavor. Aci Kapya biber is another option, or use store-bought jarred red chiles, as shown in the photo below.
Recipe Note
Be sure to wear kitchen gloves, especially if you’re making a spicy pepper paste. Not only will the gloves prevent the hot chiles from burning your skin, but they also prevent the sweet peppers from turning your fingers red.
