Origin: Nepal
The Timur Szechuan variety is closely related to the reddish Chinese Szechuan/Szechuan pepper or the green Japanese Sansho pepper. It has a fresh, citrus flavor with a mild heat and is also known as citrus or grapefruit pepper. when consumed, produces a strong, addictive tingling, warm sensation in the mouth. It is used in classic Chinese, Japanese and Nepali cuisines, but it is also quickly adopted by other cuisines due to its amazing taste qualities.
Mill&Mortar spent a long time searching for an organic version of Szechuan pepper and are excited to finally find one. However, the journey is long and as thorny as the Szechuan tree. Mill&Mortar sources Timur Szechuan from Nepal, where the thorn bushes grow untouched in the Himalayas at an altitude of over 2000 meters and sometimes reach a height of 10 meters.
The small fruit capsules open when ripe. The pepper is then hand-picked by mountain farmers and transported down the mountain on small trails to be rinsed, dried and sorted by hand. The sorting process for this pepper - and most spices in general - is crucial and consists of three steps: first the stem and other parts of the plant are removed, then the seed coat is separated from the small peppercorns that are inside in her. Finally, the ripest peppercorns are sorted by color.
The capsules are brown inside and light outside. The Chinese version has a more reddish color, while the Japanese version is generally green.
Szechuan pepper can be ground, crushed in a mortar or chopped before use.
Timur Szechuan is a wonderful addition to sauces and marinades or to the crust of meat mixed with other spices and fresh/dried herbs, soy sauce, honey and salt. Use Szechuan pepper when making a sauce for chicken wings or a warm green bean salad—or just add to your burger patties. Allspice will add acidity and heat to chutneys and pickled or fermented vegetables.
Of course, this delicious pepper can be used beyond Asian cuisine. Try adding it to cocktails for notes of freshness and heat, on cheese crackers - even in chocolate mousse!
