Across the highlands
Yangben
Dried lichen with fatty pork and pig's blood, richly spiced in the karai
50 min·4 servings
timur powder
Ground husks of a Nepali relative of Sichuan pepper, with a fresh, grapefruit-like aroma and a gently numbing tingle on the tongue.
Timur is the dried fruit husk of Zanthoxylum armatum, a thorny shrub of the Himalayan slopes, and is used in Nepal either coarsely or finely ground. It is not a true pepper but belongs, like Sichuan pepper, to the citrus family. Its aroma is markedly citrusy, often compared to grapefruit or lemongrass, paired with a tingling, slightly numbing sensation that in achars, chutneys and vegetable dishes accompanies the chilli heat rather than replacing it. Because the aroma fades quickly once ground, it is better to buy whole husks and grind them just before use, removing the hard black seeds. It can be found in Nepali and Indian grocery shops, occasionally in Asian supermarkets, and reliably through mail-order spice suppliers.
Substitute:
Sichuan pepper comes closest and gives the same tingle, but tastes woodier and less citrusy; a little finely grated grapefruit or lemon zest partly makes up for that. Japanese sansho is also citrusy and works well, though its tingle is milder.
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