Iskilip Ramadan Keskegi Product Description and Distinctive Features: Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği is a traditional local specialty made by slowly cooking cracked wheat and bone-in meat together with tomatoes, onions, butter, and a blend of spices in a clay pot placed inside a stone oven. This dish is considered a special meal, typically shared by families gathered around the same table during the Ramadan period. While it is customarily enjoyed throughout the entire Ramadan month, visitors from various provinces often travel to the Iskilip district specifically to taste this regional delicacy. Additionally, Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği is also prepared and served outside of the Ramadan season. The tradition of Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği goes back many years. Within the designated geographical area, this special keşkeği is prepared in unique keşkek ovens found in local neighborhoods. Early in the morning, clay pots filled with the ingredients are placed inside these ovens. After adding water, bakers put the pots into the wood-fired ovens and allow them to cook slowly for about 8 hours. To avoid mixing up the pots, each one is marked with indelible inscriptions or heat-resistant materials. When cooked, Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği displays a distinctive red-orange hue and is served hot. Because it is cooked gently in a clay pot without direct contact with the wood fire, the ingredients retain their natural juices, resulting in a smooth, semi-fluid texture that melts effortlessly in the mouth. No extra sauce is added to Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği. Production Method: In making Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği, preference is given to cracked wheat derived from wheat cultivated within the Iskilip region. The harvested wheat is thoroughly washed, boiled in large vessels, then pounded in mortars to remove the husk and transform it into cracked wheat. Ingredients: - 359 g bone-in meat (either beef or lamb) - 200 g cracked wheat - 1 onion - 1 tomato - 1 green pepper - 25 g tomato paste - 10 g butter - 5 g salt - 5 g black pepper - 5 g red pepper - 500 ml water Cooking Method: Iskilip Ramadan Keşkeği is prepared in a clay pot, which provides gradual and even heat distribution. Cooked slowly over low heat for many hours, this method preserves the dish's nutrients and natural flavors. After the cracked wheat is carefully rinsed in hot water, it is placed into the clay pot. Chopped onions, tomatoes, and green peppers are layered on top, followed by bone-in meat, tomato paste, butter, and spices. The baker then adds water before placing the pots into a stone oven heated by burning oak wood. The keşkek cooks for 8 hours on oak embers. The dish is served hot and traditionally without any additional sauce.