Timar | Zanthoxylum armatum | تمر

Timur pepper  (Zanthoxylum armatum) comes from the same family as Szechuan pepper & grows in the higher Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand & Nepal. It has the same tongue tingling, mouth numbing properties, with intense citrus and grapefruit notes. It produces this slightly numbing feeling, a tingling sensation on your lips and tongue when you consume it in moderate amounts.These citrus qualities make Timur pepper perfect for fish dishes. In Uttarakhand & Nepal Timur is commonly used in dry vegetable dishes, especially with potatoes, and also it is used in tomato-based dishes and curries. It is an integral part of Nepali curry powders and seasonings, and is a very popular spice in the country. Because of its affinity with fish, Timur pepper can be used to give an exotic twist to many traditional fish preparations, and one of our favourites is to use Timur together with lemon and salt to season a sea bass cooked 'en papilotte'.

In Uttarakhand villages, people use the spice in traditional dishes and the whole fruit to make condiments.The entire husk or shell surrounding the seeds is used for culinary preparations, or it can be ground down into a powdery spice.

In 2018, the BBC listed timur pepper – a zesty, grapefruit-like spice – as an on-trend ingredient to make condiments and give alcoholic beverages like a gin and tonic for an extra kick. Meanwhile, locals in the Himalayas have been using timur pepper for years, celebrating the spice for its taste, analgesic impact on the mouth and tongue and other medicinal effects.

Timur pepper is also commonly known as prickly ash, toothache tree and Nepalese pepper.The spice is related to Szechuan pepper and boasts similar properties. So basically, that means timur pepper is hot. The seed husks are so spicy they are supposed to have an analgesic effect, numbing the mouth, the tongue and any other body part that comes into contact with the peppercorn.

The fruits and seeds are employed as an aromatic tonic in fever and dyspepsia [indigestion]. An extract of the fruits is reported to be effective in expelling roundworms. Because of their deodorant, disinfectant and antiseptic properties, the fruits are used in dental troubles, and their lotion for scabies. The essential oil is said to possess antiseptic, disinfectant and deodorant properties. Unlike other pepper varieties, Timur pepper contains unique essential oils, which gives them special citrus flavor with biting pungent taste. Their aromatic flavor comes to them from terpenes whereas, their hotness character is due to certain alkamides embedded in their outer shell. Timur peppers also aid in the digestion power through increasing gastric juice and enzymes secretion inside the gut. They are also a good source of vitamins such as vitamin-A, carotenes, pyridoxine, thiamin, and minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorous, selenium and zinc. 

The characteristic mouth numbing property of Timur pepper makes it more of an experience than a flavor. The experience can sometimes be unnerving in the beginning but as you eat it more often, it can become quite addictive. Once you have started liking this spice, you’ll find that there are endless ways of using it in cooking.