Recipe
Keyman is a plant native to Güdül, sown in spring and harvested at threshing time, distinguished by its yellow seeds. It is traditionally used as the main ingredient of çemen for pastırma. In the past, before threshing machines were available, the seeds were separated by hand by beating the plants with sticks in front of houses; the seeds were then washed, cleaned, and ground in stone mills. As keyman seeds are quite hard, they must be soaked before use. During preparation, two tablespoons of keyman are soaked in enough warm water to cover them. The water is strained repeatedly until the yellow color is released; this process is repeated several times. Once the keyman has swollen and fermented, 6–7 cloves of crushed garlic, one teaspoon of cumin and red pepper flakes, and half a teaspoon of salt are added. The quantities of the ingredients may be adjusted according to taste. Fresh parsley may also be added if desired. Keyman is a sauce traditionally served with specific foods. It is especially enjoyed with Güdül bazlama, where butter is spread on the warmed flatbread and keyman is served alongside it. Another method of use is as follows: one tablespoon of keyman is added to sulguç that has been sautéed and boiled with water. This preparation is locally referred to as “keymana sulguç kattı.” Sulguç is meat cut into pieces smaller than dice, sautéed, and preserved by freezing; today, it is also referred to as kavurma. In the region, it is traditionally believed that when keyman is soaked and its water is consumed, it helps lower blood sugar levels.