Silk Chili Flakes

These summery and spicy Silk Chili Flakes come from Kahramanmaras, Turkey. Also known as marash pepper, the Silk Chili is botanically identical to the Aleppo pepper, which has been cultivated in Syria for centuries. Due to the ongoing violence of the Syrian civil war, true Aleppo chili is unfortunately no longer available for import.

Our Silk Chili Flakes are naturally preserved with a little bit of salt and sunflower seed oil to keep them fresh and flavorful.

They have a warm, tomato-like flavor and a medium heat, similar to Espelette and Korean chilis. Use in any dish in need of a little excitement, from scrambled eggs to burgers to brownies. Perfect for cooking or finishing.

• Origin: Kahramanmaras, Turkey
• Aliases: Aleppo pepper, Marash / Maras pepper, pul biber
• Heat level: 5,000-10,000 Scoville units
• Process: Sun-dried and stone-ground
• Ingredients: Silk Chili (Capsicum annuum), sunflower seed oil, salt (salt content is 1% by weight, or about 0.5 grams per jar)
• Tasting notes: Roasted Tomato • Honey • Mediterranean Sun

COOKING

• Peaches with Silk Chili & Lime
  
• Spinach with Cumin and Garlic
  
• Chicken Korma
  
• Chickpea Sumac Salad
  
• Mahi Mahi with Stewed Spiced Peaches
  
• Çilbir-Inspired Eggs
  
• Lemongrass and Herb Pork Sausage
• Moroccan Chicken Kebabs
• South Indian-style Lentils
• Ilham's Yellow Lempah Fish
• Pairs well with: Cured Sumac, Smoked Pimentón Paprika, Wild Mountain Cumin
  

SOURCING

These chilis undergo a traditional drying and grinding process that results in a chili flake with a very smooth, slippery texture. Historically, the chilis were ground using silk ropes, and although more modern grinding machines are used today, the tradition is commemorated in the name Silk Chili.

Meet the Farmer: Hilmi Bey got into the pepper business 40 years ago when he was working as a cook and couldn't find good peppers. He and his brother bought a few sacks from farmers they knew around their native Maras, carried them 18 hours on a train to Istanbul, and walked the streets of the city shouting that they had peppers to sell. From that original entrepreneurial instinct, Hilmi has built a pepper business that he's now turning over to his son (pictured on the right).