MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed – Zuzax is an herb growing on mountain highlands of Amed’s Kulp district and an endemic herb to the region. Local people collect Zuzax after it grows in spring. The local people say it has been used for many different illnesses for years.

Women work for hours

Zuzax is a thin and long herb so it is easily recognized among other herbs. The women of Kulp first collect Zuzax and then mince it before putting it in a mortar. After beating it with a pestle for hours, the women leave it to dry. Hayriye Tekin, a resident of the district, told us how to make the herb while beating it with a wooden pestle.

“We beat it for hours and then place it on a tray to dry. After drying it, we put it in a plastic bag. Some people sell them while some keep them to eat. Many sellers in the market come here to collect them and then sell them in the markets. This herb is good for health.”

“We like its taste and smell”

Hayriye told us that Zuzax is consumed in meals or just with bread, “After drying it, we add it to boiled eggs and potatoes and many vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes. We like its taste and smell. For this reason, we go to the mountains every spring to collect it.”