Keme

Şanlıurfa’s steppes turn green with spring rains. Local people believe that a mushroom called Keme appears in places where lightning strikes during the spring rains. Keme, which generally likes sandy soils, is actually a type of truffle. Diderot makes the analogy of the “daughter of the earth” for this mushroom, known even in Roman period. The outer layer of Keme mushroom is cleaned with sandpaper without using a knife, and it is chopped to be added to fatty minced meat mixture of the Şanlıurfa Kebab, or rolled to mushroom balls after slicing similar to eggplant kebab. Keme Kebab is available in Şanlıurfa from March until the end of May.