ÇORUM LEBLEBİ
Çorum’s famous roasted chickpea is made from black peas. It takes one and half months to make leblebi. In historical stores, the one time roasted leblebi is taken from sacks to the tins, then to the basins. In the oven which is heated by wood, leblebi is roasted and they are taken into sacks hot again. In our city you can find a leblebi store in every corner. From the very old times, the big size of pea and its changing into leblebi has gained a reputation. Nonetheless, after the years of 1960s peas produced in the area is not enough for leblebi production so peas started to be bought from nearby cities.However, Çorum leblebi has never lost its reputation. The roasting system which is bequeath from one generation to another has a very important role in this reputation. On the one hand, the traditional production method in which producer try to give leblebi a golden colour and taste continues. On the other hand, people also started to use the modern method in which people start to use modern technologyy such as LPG. For the production , a roasting cooker which consist of a fire brick, mud brick , pan and mixer is needed. The woods used shouldn’t make fume. The peas are first categorized as to their size. They are roasted once and put in sacks when they are hot. They are set aside for two days after the second roasting. Then they are spread out on the ground for 15-20 days. Before the third roasting, peas are moisturised and set aside in sacks in sacks. In the third roasting the shells of the peas fall. If you want to add pepper, salt, clove , you should do this at this stage. The reputation of Çorum leblebi is because of this great effort.
The History of Çorum Leblebi
It is said that Çorum leblebi is first produced by Ahmedi Sever from the peas in our city about three centuries ago. Corum has become synonymous with leblebi. The word "leblebi" reminds people the word "Çorum" and the word "Çorum" reminds people the word "leblebi".
Some tools used for leblebi production
1-Peas Rinsing Machine (Elector)
2-Cooker
3-Heater and Roasting Machine
4-Steeping Bowl and Machine
5- High Calory Oak Coal
6-Club
7-90-110 cm Sheet Metal
8-Sieve
9-Goat Hair Sack
10-A wide and covered place
Type of Leblebi (Chick Peas):
Basic Features: The drop-shaped peas are the most suitable type for Çorum leblebi due to the fact that it can throw away its shell very fast. 100 pieces of drop-shaped peas are equal to 55-57 grams.
LEBLEBİ MASTERS :
Human Factor: The masters have at least 8 or 10 years of apprenticeship period. Besides the climatic features, a master should know how to use the tools and improve their skills to be a best master.
The Climate of Çorum
Natural Factors: Çorum hasn’t a lot of humidity. The wind blowing during the night and the mild climate between Black Sea Region and Mediterranean Region provide the peas to dry. Mild climate features, dry weather are very important for the production of leblebi.
The Production Stages of Çorum Leblebi
Sorting Out The Peas :Peas are bought provided that 100 pieces are 55-57 grams from the producer.
Classifying the Peas: Peas are sieved in 9 staged sieves and only the 8 and 9 numbers are used.
Heating The Peas : The peas are heated brick or mud made cookers with copper sheet. Woods are burnt and roasting (tav) is performed. The first roasting stages takes 12-17 minutes. Then it is taken to sacks while they are hot. They are set aside for 10 days. Then the second roasting takes about 10 minutes. It is put in sacks again. They are left aside for ten days. The third roasting takes 9-10 minutes. Peas are taken to sacks for one day. Then it is spread onto soil-lime mixed pots for 45-60 days.(The longer this stage is, the more delicious peas are.)
Soaking The Peas : Peas are soaked in the machine. They are put in sacks. They are left in the sacks for 12 or 24 hours and sieved as to their size.
Roasting The Peas : The peas are seperated from the shells with a wooden club on the copper sheet. The shells and the cracked pieces are sieved. They are put in sacks and set aside for 1 month.
Frying The Peas:The roasted peas are fried on cooker. The master add salt pepper or clove. The fried peas are set aside in hair sacks for 10 minutes and then marketed.
The Production Area : The place of production should be 2 meter high and should not be sunny. There should be holes for the wind to blow inside. The 250-300 m2 wide pots shouldn’t take any sun and they should be plastered with the mixture of clay, hay and lime..
Cooker; it has a circle shape and it is made of lime (a kind of brick which is wind-proof) and plastered with clay, mud, hay mixture. In the middle of the cooker, 90-110 cm wide copper sheet is put. This copper sheet is produced in Çorum.
The wood used should be willow .
Varak; It should be made of poplar and it should be 50 cm in diameter in order to not to break peas. After every stage, its edge should be rasped.
Storing The Peas: The peas should be kept on wooden layers which have no connection to the ground.
It is used to be kept in black goat hair sacks before selling. Peas can be stored for 6 months in this way. In recent years, these sacks are difficult to find so producers use plastic bags instead.Otherwise, leblebi stales in a short time.
TYPE OF CHICKPEAS
Basic Features: The drop-shaped peas are the most suitable type for Çorum leblebi due to the fact that it can throw away its shell very fast. 100 pieces of drop-shaped peas are equal to 55-57 grams.
The Leblebi Trade In Çorum
Çorum leblebi producers and sellers have a chamber to raise the cooperation. There is a leblebi store in every corner in Çorum. There are both modern and classic producers of leblebi in Çorum.
The Foreign Demand For Leblebi
Çorum leblebi is imported to European countries, Australia, the USA, Canada and Asian Countries.