Ray Timur

Raye timur, or timut pepper, grows in the wild in large parts of the Himalayas and the Indian Eastern Ghats. It is the berry of Zanthoxylum armatum, a Szechuan pepper. The dark brown berry is sharp and has an unmistakable grapefruit aroma.

New harvest!

In Nepal and India, this Szechuan pepper is called timur; elsewhere, it is also known as timut or Nepalese mountain pepper. The fruit has been gathered by the indigenous population for centuries for medicinal use—including against flatulence. Nowadays, timur is increasingly harvested for its mildly pungent sharpness and unmistakable citrus flavor, in this case grapefruit or pomelo. The citrus flavor becomes stronger and sweeter when the pepper is heated—roasted.

The Zanthoxylum armatum on which this pepperberry grows is a shrub equipped with vicious thorns. The shrub bears small yellow flowers that develop into fruits which quickly turn pale red and eventually become dark red. The clusters of berries are harvested from the first week of October until deep into November.

Timur is found in the warmer valleys of the Himalayas at altitudes of 1,000 to 2,100 meters. It is one of the few spices that grow at such altitudes. Raye timur is primarily harvested in the Bajura and Myagdi regions. It grows there in abundance, but harvesting is small-scale. In India, the species is threatened by excessive, uncontrolled harvesting; in Nepal, this is not the case.

The unique sharpness experience of sanshol

Characteristic of all ZanthoxylumpeppersAnd thus also for Szechuan pepper, the tingling sensation you experience on the tip of your tongue is caused by a substance in the pepper called sanshool, named after the Japanese sanshō. The spiciness is caused by the amides in the skin of the fruit: α-, β-, γ- and δ-sanshool, α-hydroxy sanshool and β-hydroxy sanshool. γ-sanshool and α-hydroxy sanshool are primarily responsible for the numbing effect. The amount of α-hydroxy sanshool in the berries can reach (well over) 50‰ of the dry weight, while that of γ-sanshool is around 5‰.

The tingling is accompanied by a mild numbness, jokingly compared to tasting a 9-volt battery. A single berry is enough to experience this! This somatosensation, stimulation by touch, has been used for centuries as an anesthetic in traditional Asian medicine. Its mechanism of action is very complex and the subject of extensive studies. Hydroxy-α-sanshol, in particular, is thought to cause the tingling, and there are certain parallels with the sensation of sharpness from capsaicin, the pungent substance in chili peppers, but also with menthol and mustard oil.

Scent and taste

In Raye timur, the aroma of grapefruit is prominent, even to the extent that you have to be careful with the dosage. This is merely a selection from the broad range of flavors:

• D-limonene * (dipentene), sweetish orange flavor, occurring in modest amounts in nutmeg, mace, and cardamom,
• linalol *, responsible for the fresh floral scent
• methyl cinnamate *, the taste of strawberry, but the scent of balsamic,
• β-pinene, woody pine scent, as in cumin, pine (pine cone), juniper and hemp,
  
• myrcene, as in laurel and clove
• sabinene, responsible for the woody, camphor-like flavor of black pepper, among others
• carvotan acetone, likewise minty, as in angelica,
• the bitter terpinol *, - occurring especially in the seeds - as in cranberries.

The oils marked with a star are dominant in aroma and taste.Feel free to combine timur with any of the aforementioned spices, and in general with products that pair well with citrus, such as shellfish, white fish, salmon, white butter sauces, veal, pork, and duck. It can be eaten raw and added at the last moment, and is delicious in vegetable salads, desserts, or with fruit.

Usage

Crush the fruit to release the seeds. These are easier to grind than the seed husks, which are best ground. Just like the whole berries (with seeds).

In the cuisines of Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan, timur is used in chutneys and pickles, among other things. Famous dishes from Nepalese cuisine that use timur are momo (a dumpling) and thupka (a noodle soup). In Indian cuisine, timur might be called the 'mirchi berry'; that is possible. Mirchi is the Hindi name for all types of pepper, from black pepper to chili peppers, the Bhut Jolokia and Naga Jolokia (raja mirch). The pepper is used in a nutritious winter soup called hag, and in chutneys such as dunkcha.

Features:

• 100% berries of the Zanthoxylum armatum
• foraging, hand-picked
• origin: Bajura and Myagdi regions, Nepal

Assortment

• available in glass (30 grams), stand-up pouch and test tube (10 ml)
  
• Larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

• The jar is available in tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper.
• For an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the gift packaging section.

General advice

• Raye timur is a versatile Szechuan pepper, suitable for both raw and roasted. Raye timur tastes like grapefruit.

Save:

• Store your Raye Timur in a closed package.
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• batch **580397 - best before June 2028 (06-2028)
• This expiration date is an indication.

Would you like to know what Raye Timur tastes like?