Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Turkish Spices – Istanbul Spice Market

Shel_B
 Share

Recommended Posts

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

A couple of friends will be at the Istanbul Spice Market next week, and they have offered to pick up a few things for me.  I know next to nothing about Turkish spices, or the spices used in that general area of the world, so with experimentation and education in mind, what might be some spices that deserve attention?

 

I've already got my order in for sumac, Aleppo and Urfa peppers, and black cumin seeds.

 

Thanks!

 ... Shel


 

chefmd

chefmd

Posted
Posted

I want to know too.  I will be there in June.  Also, does anyone know if it is legal to bring spices back?

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Yes, it is legal.  However, if you bring back large quantities (I don't know what defines "large") you may have to pay import duties.  My friends wrote : "Our guide buys a lot of spices when he returns to S.F., to the point he has to pay custom tax."

 ... Shel


 

Hassouni

Hassouni

Posted
Posted

yeah you want pul biber and also isot, which is a deep roasted version that's much harder to find here.

 

Also ask them to get some really knockout biber salçası - which is sundried pepper paste. The stuff sold in jars here is so-so at best.  You might also ask for "7 türlü baharat" a mix of spices used commonly. Otherwise, spices used in Turkish food aren't that hard to obtain in the US

Alchemist/mixologist/proprietor at the Green Zone, serving craft cocktails with the flavors of the Middle East

 

my eG foodblog - Beirut and beyond

My occasionally food-related site

Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

What about zaatar? Can you find that easily where you are? If not, that's another to consider.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

What about zaatar? Can you find that easily where you are? If not, that's another to consider.

 

I'll look into that.  Not sure what zaatar is, so my education starts .... thanks!

 ... Shel


 

cakewalk

cakewalk

Posted
Posted (edited)

Interesting. Is salep used in Turkey as a spice/condiment? In Israel it's basically a hot drink, it's called sahlav but I'm pretty sure it's the same thing. (I wonder if Israel gets theirs from Turkey.)

 

True salep in Turkey is not allowed to be exported - so make sure what you're getting is the real thing, if it's of interest

 

Edited to add this very nice link I just found: http://www.anissas.com/salep-or-sahlab-in-arabic-a-rare-ingredient/

Edited by cakewalk (log)
Hassouni

Hassouni

Posted
Posted

Za'tar is not really used in Turkish cooking at all - it is much more Leb/Jordanian/etc

 

Sahlab/salep is not used as a spice, though it is used to thicken up ice cream and make it stretchy (mmmmm). That's the only other use of it I know besides the hot drink.

Alchemist/mixologist/proprietor at the Green Zone, serving craft cocktails with the flavors of the Middle East

 

my eG foodblog - Beirut and beyond

My occasionally food-related site

Meanderer

Meanderer

Posted
Posted

Have your friends ask whichever merchant they deal with if they can buy the spices from the merchant's non-displayed stock.  While what is on display is very photogenic, it is also going to be exposed for some unknown time to air and whatever else might be circulating around a very crowded place.

Jaymes

Jaymes

Posted
Posted

Just to add, regarding bringing spices back into the US from Istanbul, I visited there a short time ago and brought back quite a few spices, which received no special interest whatsoever from the US customs officials.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

By the way, if your friends can find real Iranian saffron, they should bring you that. Beware though that much of what's sold is really safflower, which looks notably different to the trained eye

...or marigold petals, which also look different and which have no discernible flavor.

 

Is Iranian saffron better than Spanish saffron?  I always thought that Spain set the gold (heh) standard.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

Hassouni

Hassouni

Posted
Posted

Nope. Iranian is pretty much the best. The highest grade is referred to as sargol, or "top of the flower", or as might be rendered in Turkish, sergül - and it's the best saffron I've ever used and now the only stuff I use (thank you trips to Lebanon and Dubai!)

  • Like 1

Alchemist/mixologist/proprietor at the Green Zone, serving craft cocktails with the flavors of the Middle East

 

my eG foodblog - Beirut and beyond

My occasionally food-related site

Mjx

Mjx

Posted
Posted

Didn't realise this; sorry for the suggestion everyone.

 

Eh... Plantes Vertes, wasn't meant as a slap (my apologies, if it came off that way), that was meant as a heads-up. It's something uknown to most people outside of Turkey.

Michaela, aka "Mjx"
Manager, eG Forums
mscioscia@egstaff.org

  • 2 months later...
Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

So, Shel_B, I see from your sumac topic that your friends have arrived back home. What did they bring in addition to the sumac? Tell us about your haul! :-)

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Apart from the sumac I received a good amount of Aleppo pepper.  It is now my favorite red pepper.  Much more flavorful than cayenne and the typical red pepper flakes that one often uses, and while packing some heat, it's not at all sharp or bitter.  I love the stuff and have promised myself to never be without it in my pantry.  I now have to start looking for a good supplier here in the States, although it will be a while before I need any.

 

I also received some Urfa peppers, and black cumin seeds.  I've not tried them as yet, but soon.

 

I don't consider this to be a "haul," just a nice amount of some new spices to play around with.

 

So, Shel_B, I see from your sumac topic that your friends have arrived back home. What did they bring in addition to the sumac? Tell us about your haul! :-)

  • Like 1

 ... Shel


 

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Actually, what we call Aleppo pepper is typically known as Urfa biberi in Turkish - the more bright red stuff. When you say Urfa pepper, do you mean the really dark, almost black stuff? That's called İsot in Turkish.

 

The really dark, almost black stuff.

 ... Shel


 

 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...