Osmancık Ayvalı Yahnisi (Quince Stew)

Geographical Indicationana-yemek

Osmancık Ayvalı Yahnisi is a meat dish from Osmancık, a district of Çorum province in north-central Turkey. Diced red meat is cooked with quince and grape molasses; the colour and flavour come from these two ingredients, not from tomato paste.

Geographical indication

The dish was registered by the Osmancık District Governorship with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office on 18 June 2025 as a place-of-origin indication (registration no. 1745). According to the registration certificate, the geographical area is Osmancık district of Çorum province, and all production stages must take place within that area. The certificate sets out the product description, the ingredient quantities and the preparation method.

How it is made

The registration certificate gives a recipe for six people. The meat is boiled first, then sautéed in butter. The quince is cut into slices and cooked with the meat broth, chickpeas, oil and salt. Grape molasses is added at the end, and the stew is left to rest before serving. Black pepper and red pepper flakes are used for seasoning, and the certificate suggests fresh mint and parsley as garnish.

Local use

According to the certificate, the stew is eaten on ordinary days and also served at weddings, invitations, religious holidays and festivals. Because it uses quince and grape molasses, it is usually made in autumn and winter, when quinces are harvested.

Sources

• Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, Geographical Indications Portal, Osmancık Ayvalı Yahnisi, Registration No. 1745 (entry: https://ci.turkpatent.gov.tr/cografi-isaretler/detay/11890; certificate: https://ci.turkpatent.gov.tr/Files/GeographicalSigns/e6a3b431-0724-4488-987c-313beddd88cf.pdf)
• Çorum Haber, “Osmancık’ın 3 lezzeti daha coğrafi işaret aldı” (Osmancık’s 3 more flavours receive geographical indication), 6 July 2025. https://corumhaber.net/osmancikin-3-lezzeti-daha-cografi-isaret-aldi

🍳 How to make it

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 kg quince (peeled and cored)
• 600 g diced lamb and/or beef (preferably lean)
• 900 ml water
• 200 g boiled chickpeas
• 150 g grape molasses (pekmez)
• 100 g butter
• 50 ml cooking oil (sunflower and/or olive oil)
• 10 g crushed red pepper flakes
• 10 g salt
• 5 g black pepper

Method

1. Boil the diced meat in a pot for about 30 minutes; reserve the cooking broth.
2. Cut the quinces into slices about 1-2 cm thick, like apple wedges.
3. In another pot, melt the butter, add the boiled meat and sauté for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the reserved broth, chickpeas, oil and salt and bring to a boil.
5. Add the quince, then the black pepper and red pepper flakes, and cook until the quince is fully tender.
6. Add the grape molasses, cook for about 3 more minutes, then remove from the heat and let it rest.
7. Optionally garnish with fresh mint, parsley and red pepper flakes, and serve hot.

💡 Tips

• No tomato paste is used. The quince and grape molasses give the stew its golden-brown colour and its slightly tart, sweet taste.
• Traditionally cooked in autumn and winter, when quinces are harvested.

A traditional recipe; quantities and times are approximate and vary by household.

← All Çorum dishes