Spotlight Spice: Marash Chile

It’s easy to fall into the routine of using common, well known chiles like Ancho, Cayenne, Jalapeño, Chipotle, and Habanero to add a bit of heat to your culinary creations. If you’re stuck in a rut with your chiles, this week’s Spotlight Spice – the Turkish Marash Chile – might inspire you to branch out a bit!

The Marash Chile is a vibrant and aromatic pepper which comes from southeastern Turkey. The peppers are dried in the sun and then crushed, resulting in a chile prized for its fruity and acidic flavor with earthy undertones and medium heat.

Like the Urfa Chile, Marash Chiles are central to Turkish cooking, similar to black pepper in our cuisine. It’s used in everything from meat dishes like kofte and kebabs, egg dishes like menemen (a sort of frittata), to rice pilaf. Give it a try in any recipe which calls for crushed red or black pepper.

Crushed Marash Chiles are great in homemade meatballs, are useful for adding a subtle yet spicy kick to a ho-hum vinaigrette, and are a nice addition to guacamole or avocado and grapefruit salad.

Try adding it to marinades, hearty soups and stews, or on top of fresh hummus for a flavorful bit of heat.

Swing by the shop to check out our collection of more than twenty dried chiles or find them at allspiceonline.com.