Timur Pepper

Timur is a small wild Sichuan-relative pepper grown in the Himalayas, especially common in Nepali cooking. It looks like a peppercorn but eats like nothing else: a citrus-forward, almost grapefruit-like fizz that briefly tingles the tongue rather than heating it. Use it whole in slow-braised meats like pork belly to lend a sweet, electric finish, or grind it fresh as a finishing seasoning. Toast lightly in a dry pan first to wake up its essential oils. A little goes a long way; over-toasting tips it into bitterness, and the small black seeds inside the husks should be discarded - they are gritty.