Erzurum Quince Stew

Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi is a traditional main dish that reflects the harmonious balance of sweet and savory flavors, prepared by cooking quinces cut without peeling their skins with browned beef, white sugar, and seedless white raisins. This dish, registered with a “Geographical Indication” by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, is one of the distinctive traditional flavors of Erzurum cuisine. It is commonly preferred at holiday, wedding, and special banquet tables and holds an important place in the regional culture.

Product Description and Distinctive Characteristics

Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi (or Erzurum Ayva Kalyesi) is a sweet and aromatic dish made by browning cubed beef and cooking it together with quinces, seedless white raisins, and white sugar. The most distinctive feature of the product is the use of quinces with their skins intact and the preference for raisins alongside white sugar as the sweetening agents.

Appearance: The dish has a bright yellowish hue and features intact quince slices enriched with whole seedless raisins.

Taste and Aroma: The tart freshness of the quince blends with the sweetness of the raisins and the savory flavor of the meat, creating a lightly caramelized aromatic profile.

Distinctive Characteristics: The use of quinces with unpeeled skins, the combination of sweet raisins and sugar with browned beef, and the harmonious balance of these elements are the fundamental features that distinguish Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi from similar dishes. Its special status in Erzurum’s regional celebrations and festive tables further enhances its gastronomic prominence.

Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi (KUDAKA)

Production Method

Ingredients for 4 servings of Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi:

• 3–4 quinces
• 150 g cubed beef
• 35 g white granulated sugar
• 200 g seedless white raisins
• 25 g butter
• 240 ml drinking water

Preparation Steps:

1. Clean the seeds from the quinces and cut each fruit into four equal pieces without peeling the skin.
2. Brown the beef over low heat for approximately 45 minutes without adding oil.
3. Add the quince pieces and butter to the beef and continue cooking for another 45 minutes.
4. Add the sugar and hot water, then cook for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Once the quinces have softened, add the raisins and simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi is served hot.

Geographical Boundary and Control

Erzurum Ayva Yahnisi / Erzurum Ayva Kalyesi can only be produced within the boundaries of Erzurum province. The ingredients and cooking method used in its preparation have been shaped by the traditional knowledge of the Erzurum region, reinforcing the product’s strong connection to its geographical origin.