Pul Biber

My very good friend Ayshe makes the most delicious salad you could imagine. It consists of red onion, red cabbage, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. Now that may seem pretty basic, however the dressing is what makes the salad. The dressing is a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, fresh ground black pepper and a Turkish chili pepper called Pul Biber.

Now I have begged my friend Ayshe to please tell me where her family would buy this spice. Every time I asked, she would give me some convoluted story about how I could obtain the spice. She would tell me that they call some number or purchase it online. Every time I called the number she provided me with, they only spoke Turkish, thus discouraging me. I tried to look it up online but was weary of ordering something I could not see to ensure it was the same spice.

Finally, I decided to look up Turkish markets in Brooklyn, close to my new neighborhood of Sunset Park. To my good fortune I found a Turkish market that sold Pul Biber! ( I called beforehand to make sure they sold Pul Biber) You would think it would be easy to find a Turkish Market but there are only a handful in all of Brooklyn.

The market I went to to pick up the Pul Biber was called Turkish Halal Meat and Gorcery and was located at 7919 5th Avenue (between 79th St & 80th St) in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, NY 11209,
(718) 680-5057. In addition to having this wonderful spice, they had an assortment of Turkish delights. They also had bulk bins of nuts, beans, peas and spices. Even if you don't want to buy anything, its a very interesting store to explore.

I always enjoy exploring a new place I am unfamiliar with. I had never been to the Turkish market nor had i been to Bay Ridge, despite growing up only a few blocks north of the neighborhood. I was surprised at how beautiful Bay Ridge was and how varied the types of stores and food choices were. The Turkish Market had so many spices that I was not aware of and will begin to explore in my cooking.

I urge everyone of you to go out and explore different ethnic food markets to discover new tastes and new food options for you to enjoy. Happy Hunting!