Abaza Acıkası

A regional sauce and seasoning type found in the culinary culture and winter preparation traditions of Sakarya province, with salça pepper (Capsicum annuum) as its main ingredient. Following an application by the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 24 January 2022, it was registered in the geographical indications register on 20 February 2024 under registration number 1544 as a "Geographical Indication".

Abaza Acıkası (SATSO)

Varieties and Physical Characteristics

This product is marketed in two distinct forms: "breakfast-type" and "cooking-type". The key difference between the two is the addition of finely ground walnut kernels to the breakfast-type version, while the cooking-type contains no walnuts. The product has a creamy consistency and is spreadable on bread; its color varies from red to orange depending on the characteristics of the salça pepper used.

Ingredients and Mixing Ratios

The standard ingredients used to produce 1 kilogram of Sakarya Abaza Acıkası are as follows:

• Salça pepper: 1 kg
• Garlic: 80–85 g
• Ground caraway seed, basil and oregano: 30 g each
• Water: 20–25 ml
• Rock salt: 100 g for breakfast-type production, 80 g for cooking-type production
• Finely ground walnut kernels: 150 g (used only in the breakfast-type)

Production Process and Traditional Tools

The production process begins with washing the salça peppers and removing their seeds. The peppers are placed in a pot with water and boiled at 105–110 °C. After the water reaches boiling point, they are cooked for approximately 80–90 minutes until the skins become easy to separate, then left to rest at room temperature for one hour. The peppers are then drained, their skins peeled, and left to stand on a strainer for 10–15 minutes before being stored at 4–6 °C overnight.

The next day, the peppers are processed into a purée. Today, this is typically done using a meat grinder, but traditionally it is achieved by crushing them between two stones. The large, stationary stone, 50–60 cm in length and suitable for food contact, is called "ahaka", while the handheld oval stone weighing 400–600 grams is called "apıhnıga". The process of pounding the peppers with these stones to produce a homogeneous purée with low fluidity takes 100–120 minutes.

Meanwhile, the garlic cloves are softened with water, peeled, and crushed in a mortar with 5–7 grams of finely broken rock salt. The crushed garlic, along with the spices (caraway, basil, oregano) and the remaining rock salt, are added to the pepper purée and thoroughly mixed. For the breakfast-type version, the walnut kernels are added at this stage. The finished acıka is filled into glass jars, sealed, and stored upside down until cooled.

Storage Conditions and Inspection

Sakarya Abaza Acıkası can be stored at a temperature range of 4–6 °C for up to one year. Once the jar lid is opened, the product must be consumed within one week. Compliance with standards is regularly inspected once a year by a three-member inspection body composed of experts from the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Sakarya Commodity Exchange, and the Sakarya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry. The inspection verifies the ingredients used, the production method, and the correct application of the geographical indication emblem.