Ray Timur

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

New harvest!

This Szechuanpepper In Nepal and India it is called Timur, elsewhere also Timut or Nepalese mountainpepperThe fruit has been gathered by the indigenous population for centuries for medicinal use – including against flatulence. Nowadays, the timur is increasingly picked for its gently tangy sharpness and unmistakable citrus flavor, in this case grapefruit or pomelo. The citrus flavor becomes stronger and sweeter when the pepper heated - roasted - becomes.

The Zanthoxylum armatum to which this pepperThe berry grows is a shrub equipped with vicious thorns. The shrub bears small yellow flowers that develop into small 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 Zanthoxylumpeppers, and therefore also for the Szechuanpepper is the tingling you experience on the tip of your tongue caused by a substance in the pepper which is called sanshool, named after the Japanese sanshō. The pungency 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 narcotic 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 caused by capsaicin, the pungent substance in chili.pepper, 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
• 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 pepper, of black pepper to chilipepper the Bhut Jolokia and Naga Jolokia (raja mirch). One uses the pepper 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 Szechuanpepper, can be used 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?