PHOTOGRAPHS: LAUREN MCLEAN
THE TREND INGREDIENT
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM...
These sun-dried chilli flakes, ground without the seeds, inspire ardour among spice fans. They’re known as pul biber in Turkey, where a pot takes pride of place on the table next to the salt. The flakes have a rounded flavour and are a little salty and oily, with a hint of fruitiness too – a bit paprika-like. The flavour is a world away from the harsh, hot blast of most chilli flakes.
In a Turkish market, you’ll see aleppo chilli flakes of different grades of heat, as well as a roasted and ground variety that has dark purple flakes and a smoky flavour similar to ancho chillies. If you buy aleppo flakes in the UK, you’re likely to find the postbox-red kind, which give a gentle heat to almost anything you feel like scattering them over – and make the dish look extremely pretty in the process.
...AND HOW TO USE THEM