Raye timur

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

This Szechuanpepper In Nepal and India it is called Timur, elsewhere also Timut or Nepalese mountain pepper. pepperThe fruit has been gathered by the indigenous population for centuries for medicinal use – including against flatulence. Nowadays, the timur pepper 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  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 pepper 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 Szechuan pepper is the tintling you experience on the tip of your tongue caused by a substance that is called sanshool, after the Japanese sanshō pepper. 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 tintling effect 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 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
• 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 raye 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, raye 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

Aassortment

• available in glass (45 grams), stand-up pouch (various weight classes) and sample sachet
• larger quantities than shown on request

Save

• batch number **580397
• best before June 2028 (06-2028)