Coarse Ground Chili | Hatay Chili
60 grams, coarsely ground
A fruity, sweet chili pepper with a mild heat.
Capsaicin is the substance responsible for the pungency (heat) in chili peppers. It is a chemical compound produced in the white placental tissue of the pepper (the inner structure where the seeds are attached).
Capsaicin activates receptors in your mouth and skin that detect heat or pain, leading to the burning sensation you experience when eating spicy food.
The best way to release capsaicin is by heating it in oil.
With this chili, you add fruitiness and a mild spiciness to your dishes. Use the chili in various spice blends such as harissa, arrabiata, and cajun. It's delicious with tomatoes, white fish, chicken, and tofu, but also pairs well with sweet flavors like mango, pineapple, and chocolate.
This chili isn't overly spicy, but it adds an interesting kick without overpowering a dish. Its fruity undertones make it a great fit for a wide variety of dishes, both sweet and savory.
This pul biber (which roughly translates to coarse-ground chili) is grown by farmer Hakan. He has a small-scale farm in the village of Karsuköyü, in the Hatay region. In February 2023, Karsuköyü was severely affected by the earthquake that occurred there. Many people lost everything, including Hakan.
Despite everything, he wants to rebuild his farm without chemicals. He is a major exception in the region in this regard. He wants to grow healthy food on healthy soil for his family, friends, and customers.
We got in touch with Hakan through the Karsu Foundation. The Karsu Foundation helps the earthquake victims rebuild their lives.
How is this chain structured?
All our chains have their own story. Their own plot of land, their own farmer. It is grown and processed in a specific way. Join us and discover the story behind this taste.
This pul biber is grown by farmer Hakan. He has a small-scale farm in the village of Karsuköyü, in the Hatay region. In February 2023, Karsuköyü was severely affected by the earthquake that occurred there. Many people lost everything, including Hakan.
We came into contact with Hakan through the Karsu Foundation. The Karsu Foundation helps the earthquake victims rebuild their lives.
Unfortunately, sustainable agriculture is not common in the region, but Hakan is committed to sustainable farming. For Hakan, it's about producing healthy food rather than maximizing output. This applies to both the people who consume it and the soil.
The chili grows from March to September or October depending on the weather.
By the end of October or November, the chili has been dried and ground.
Let's make an impact!
Every supply chain not only has its own story, but also its own challenges. We would like to tell you what impact we make per chain and how we deal with specific challenges.
Our goal is to buy from Hakan every year, ensuring him an income in advance so he can invest more in the business. And spend less time on a lot of small sales.
By paying Hakan a good price for his sustainable products, he becomes an example in the region, showing that sustainable farming with lower yields can also be profitable and economically viable.
We haven't generated enough sales yet to offer Hakan the stability we'd like.
Additionally, naturally grown chili is very susceptible to pests because it contains a lot of sugar and other substances that many insects love. In Turkey, there are two traditional ways to extend the shelf life of chili. Storing the chilies in the freezer or adding a little salt and olive oil. Since we don't foresee the Dutch quickly adopting the first method, we chose to add a little salt and oil. So, unlike what you're used to from us, something has been added to the spice, with the goal of guaranteeing shelf life and being able to offer a sustainable product.
Frequently asked questions
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Air, light, and moisture are detrimental to the quality of your spices. Therefore, store them in a tightly sealed jar or tin that is opaque (or in a dark kitchen cupboard or drawer). Also, do not store them above your stove, as cooking fumes can reach them there. Always ensure that you transfer spices from a repack into a well-sealing jar or tin as quickly as possible.
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The shelf life of spices is primarily determined by the loss of flavor that occurs over time, as they generally don't spoil otherwise. We use a shelf life of 2.5 - 3 years after harvest. This depends partly on the time of packaging and also on whether they are whole spices that you grind yourself or pre-ground powder.
Spices in the supermarket are often already 2-3 years old before they are even packaged and then receive an additional shelf life of 3-5 years. Primarily use your senses to judge if they are still good. At some point, there will simply be no flavor left, which is a waste of a good meal!
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We do not have organic certification, even though our spices do meet these standards. All farmers work in harmony with nature and without pesticides, but the certification process is unfortunately very expensive. For small farmers, it is actually unaffordable. And we want to show them that it is worthwhile to grow spices sustainably. That there are people willing to pay for a quality natural product and that they don't first have to make a huge, impossible investment in the form of certification.
Some of our farmers do, in fact, have the certificate. Cooperatives, for example, can apply for the certification process jointly, which makes it much more affordable. But to be able to put this on the packaging, our entire chain would also have to be certified, including the Social Workshop where the spices are packaged. This is currently not possible because they also work for other non-organic producers. So, in short: no, we are not officially certified, but the quality and way of working are at least just as good.
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Single Origin means that a product comes from one specific place. Often, harvests from different places, sometimes even from different countries and different years, are mixed together. Traders do this to develop the cheapest possible product with a consistent taste. With us, you know exactly where your spices come from, right down to the name of the farmer. This also means that the quality can sometimes vary, as it is a natural product. For example, one year may be drier than another, which can lead to a change in taste. But our farmers always strive for the highest possible taste experience, and you can taste it!
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We always strive to purchase the latest harvest. Of course, it can sometimes happen that we still have some of the previous harvest in stock while the new harvest is already available. So we cannot always guarantee that you will receive the very latest harvest, but we do aim to do so as much as possible. On the packaging, you will find a QR code to a page where you can find out exactly when your spices were harvested and when they were filled into the tins/pouches. With this, we aim for complete transparency in our process.
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We ship to most European countries, but this will, of course, incur higher shipping costs. Would you like to order from a country, but find it's not possible? Please contact us so we can look into the options.
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At the Siza Social Workshop, they do their utmost to pack the parcels the day after the order. If it's busy, it might take a day longer. They don't work on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so if you order on a Thursday, for example, it will take a bit longer before your parcel is dispatched.
When the parcels are ready, they are picked up by the Groene Rijders and delivered by their bicycle couriers in the areas they serve, or outsourced to PostNL. Depending on how busy they are, they also aim to deliver within 1 working day.