Roasted tomatoes and garlic blended with sesame and timur (Sichuan pepper) into a fiery, smoky chutney — the essential accompaniment to momo across Sikkim.
Ingredients
4 ripe tomatoes
5 garlic cloves — unpeeled
2 to 3 dried red chillies
1 tbsp sesame seeds — dry-roasted
1/4 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper / Nepali peppercorn — available at Nepali stores; has a distinctive tingling numbing quality; substitute with black pepper if unavailable)
1 tsp mustard oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh coriander
Method
Roast the tomatoes directly over a gas flame using tongs, turning every minute, until the skin is well charred and blistered on all sides and the tomatoes have softened. This takes 8 to 10 minutes.
Roast the unpeeled garlic cloves in a dry pan turning until they develop dark spots all over.
Roast the dried red chillies in a dry pan 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly charred.
Dry-roast sesame seeds 2 to 3 minutes until golden and popping.
Peel and discard the charred skin from the roasted tomatoes. Peel the garlic.
Place roasted tomatoes, garlic, dried chillies, sesame seeds and timur in a blender.
Blend to a moderately coarse paste — not completely smooth. The charred bits add depth.
Add mustard oil, salt and lemon juice. Blend briefly.
Taste — the chutney should be smoky, fiery, tangy, slightly numbing from the timur and nutty from sesame.