Acuka — Antep Walnut and Pepper Paste Meze

Acuka (Antep ezmesi) is a Gaziantep specialty — a concentrated meze of walnuts, hot pepper paste, sumac and Aleppo pepper. Different from simple ezme (which is chopped vegetables), acuka is thicker, oilier and more intensely flavored. Often served as coffee-meze or starter with grills.

Note: Classic recipe includes walnuts. Eksendoo doesn't currently carry walnuts — you can substitute with hazelnuts or almonds, or prepare acuka when you source quality walnuts.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 100 g finely chopped walnuts (alternatives: hazelnuts, almonds)
• 3 tablespoons hot pepper paste
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tablespoon grape molasses (or our tahini-grape molasses set)
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Salt, a little lemon

Preparation (15 min + 1h rest)

Step 1 — Toast walnuts (3 min)

Place walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat 2-3 minutes, stirring. Toasting intensifies aroma. Cool.

Step 2 — Fine chopping (5 min)

Finely chop walnuts with a knife or short pulse in food processor. Don't grind — keep chunky for texture.

Step 3 — Mixing (5 min)

In a large bowl mix: hot pepper paste, tomato paste, olive oil, grated garlic, grape molasses, sumac, Aleppo pepper and cumin. Add chopped walnuts and salt to taste.

Step 4 — Resting (1 hour minimum)

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour — ideally overnight. This is essential — walnuts absorb the juices and flavors meld.

Step 5 — Serve

Spoon into a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with more sumac. Serve cold with warm lavash, pita bread or raw vegetables.

Tips for perfect acuka

• Toasting walnuts is the secret — different flavor than raw
• Grape molasses gives characteristic Antep sweetness — without it acuka is just spicy
• Acuka "develops" with time — 24 hours = much better flavor
• Vegan by default
• For more heat — add more hot pepper paste

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use hazelnuts instead of walnuts?

Yes — hazelnuts give similar texture and slightly sweeter flavor. Almonds also work. Traditional Antep recipe uses walnuts.

What if I don't have grape molasses?

You can use pomegranate molasses, a little honey, or fig molasses. The tahini-grape molasses set in our range has exactly the traditional grape molasses.

Is acuka halal?

Yes — acuka is naturally halal and vegan. Our ingredients (pastes, sumac, Aleppo pepper, cumin, tahini-grape molasses) carry halal certificates from Turkey.

Acuka is proof of Antep cuisine sophistication — complex flavor of walnuts, olive oil, hot pepper and sumac, all in one bite. Ideal for weekend gatherings.