Sirnak Dergul Tahini Product Description and Distinctive Features: Şırnak Dergul Tahini is a tahini produced in the Kumçatı Village of the Central District of Şırnak province through the harvesting, drying, separation from the bran/husk, re-drying, roasting in a stone pit, and grinding in a stone mill of sesame plants.A water-powered mill is used in the production of Şırnak Dergul Tahini. The mill's rotation speed is between 250-300 revolutions per minute. Since electric mills rotate faster than water mills, generating friction heat that may impart a slight burnt taste to the tahini, they are not used. The grinding stones used in water mills are obtained from local rocks, and their surfaces are made suitable for contact with food by grinding by mill masters. During the production of Şırnak Dergul Tahini, sesame seeds obtained are roasted in a specially designed fireplace-like pit. Since no additives or sweeteners are added during the production of Şırnak Dergul Tahini, and it is made by grinding lightly roasted sesame seeds without bran, the tahini has a natural sesame aroma. The color of Şırnak Dergul Tahini is slightly darker off-white than the whitish color of sesame seeds, as they are taken for grinding when they turn slightly yellow. It has a fluid and homogeneous structure. Unlike other tahinis, when stored, where oil accumulates on top, forming a layer that often sticks to the bottom of the jar, Şırnak Dergul Tahini's oil is homogeneously present in the tahini and does not accumulate on the surface, and there is never sediment at the bottom of the jar. Şırnak Dergul Tahini has a long history within a geographical boundary. The former name of Kumçatı Village was Dergul. The presence of a river passing through the geographical boundary allowed the establishment of many water mills, utilizing water energy. There are three historical water mills within the geographical boundary. Throughout the tahini production season, production takes place continuously in 4 shifts, 24 hours a day. Each water mill has the capacity to produce 10-15 kg of tahini per hour. The production of Şırnak Dergul Tahini has specific qualities related to the geographical boundary, especially in terms of roasting and grinding sesame seeds, requiring expertise. For these reasons, it is associated with the geographical boundary. Production Method: In the production of Şırnak Dergul Tahini, sesame plants grown in the Kumçatı Village are used. The soil where the plants grow is alluvial. Harvesting of sesame plants within the geographical boundary is done in the planting month. The harvested sesame plants, cut close to the ground, are piled with their heads upwards on a cloth and left to dry for 4-7 days, depending on the weather. Once the fruit capsules of the dried sesame open, the sesame branches are shaken upside down on a clean cloth, and the spilled sesame seeds are dried in the sun for 3-6 hours. The sesame seeds are sifted towards the direction of the wind using a sieve with 3-4 mm openings, preferably made of animal skin/intestines, or wire meshes with the same pore size, to remove coarse residues and allow for ventilation. Subsequently, the sesame seeds, passed through a 2 mm wire mesh, are placed in a cloth sack or in bulk in a container filled with room temperature water for 8-12 hours to facilitate separation from their husks and bran. The softened sesame seeds are placed on a clean cloth and, while still wet, pounded with pestles and passed through water. The husk-free sesame seeds are spread on a clean cloth for 1-2 days to dry in the sun. Once the sesame seeds are fully dried, they are moved to a fireplace-like pit for roasting. The roasting pit has a structure specific to the geographical boundary. A fire-resistant stone or granite slab, obtained from rocks within the geographical boundary, is placed on top of the pit, which is built with stones on three sides. The slab is 50-60 cm wide, 60-70 cm long, and 2-5 cm thick. To prevent the sesame seeds from scattering, a stone border is created on the edge of the stone slab with mud. This mud-made border is prepared by mixing straw and 200-300 g of rock salt into the mud to prevent it from cracking and breaking due to the heat from the pit. The edge of the stone slab is coated with this mud. The border is approximately 10 cm thick and 10 cm wide, with the front side left open like a groove. No border is made on the front side; this is where the roasted sesame seeds are dragged and emptied into a container. Under the pit, oak wood is preferably placed for a long-lasting fire. Once the stone slab heats up, about 1 kg of dried sesame is placed on it. The sesame seeds are continuously stirred back and forth, left and right, for about 5-10 minutes until they acquire a yellowish color, just before they turn brown. Achieving the desired color and consistency (a slightly shiny texture, reaching a yellowish, dirty white color, and slightly glossy compared to raw sesame) requires skill. Once the sesame seeds reach the desired color and consistency, they are dragged down from the edge of the stone slab to the groove using a cloth. Salt is added to the roasted sesame in the container under the groove, approximately 2 g for every 1 kg of roasted sesame, and without waiting, it is poured into the reservoir of a working water mill that is hotter. Grinding of sesame seeds begins in the stone mill with a rotation speed of 250-300 revolutions per minute. The amount of sesame to flow between the millstones is adjusted by a stone weight connected to the mill's mechanism with a string, providing fine adjustment. The amounts of sesame poured into the reservoir are adjusted according to the rotation speed of the millstone. 10-15 kg of sesame can be ground per hour. The raw sesame oil content to be ground is 59.25% - 60.75%, the roasted sesame oil content is 57.65% - 58.50%, and the Tahini has an oil content of 55.50% - 56.30%.