Nepal pepper - Szechwan pepper, Sichuan pepper, Chinese pepper, (Z. armatum) - Timmur - (टिम्मुर, तिम्बुर)

Nepal pepper - Szechwan pepper, Sichuan pepper, Chinese pepper, (Z. armatum) - Timmur - (टिम्मुर, तिम्बुर)

Also known as ban timmur or Nepali pepper, this is a highly pungent, sharp tasting dried berry from the prickly ash shrub family.  It is often mistaken for black pepper, but has an entirely different flavor and is, in fact, not related to the black pepper family.

When the berry matures, it splits into two halves with a shiny black seed.  It has a rough, wrinkled, and uneven surface and the aroma lies in the split covering of the pod, not in the seed.

In the picture, the szechwan pepper,  red pepper and gooseberry (amalaa) are displayed together.  It was transported from the hilly area of Nepal in a doko (wicker basket).  It seems that the vendor did not have another container to separate her goods.  A local measuring devise called ek maanaa, adhaa maanaa, 1/4 maanaa is displayed.  The metal handy tool is used to measure spices, rice, lentils and other grains.

Close-up look of berries with black seeds

Crushed and finely ground  timmur - Nepalese describe its taste as "per-peraune" which means "biting taste with an anesthetic feeling on the tongue"  The spice should be used only in moderation; otherwise it will overpower the dish.

Timmur is most commonly used spice in Nepali pickles and chutneys. 

Five different measuring tools (similar to cups) are used here to measure timmur.

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