The Sichuan peppercorn is made from two species of prickly ash shrub (Zanthoxylum), which is a member of the citrus family. Sichuan peppercorn spice is made from the pinkish-red husks surrounding the seeds, while the black seed inside is discarded because it is too grittly and is sand-like when ingested. You can use whole Sichuan peppercorns or grind them into powder. Among five ingredients in five-spice powder, this spice is one of the four ingredients (the others are star anise, fennel, clove, and cinnamon), and it’s used in many savory Sichuan dishes.
Objects of origin
To add heat to Northern Chinese dishes before hot chiles were introduced from the New World, Sichuan peppercorns and ginger were used. Szechuan peppercorns aren’t really peppers at all, which surprises many people. Unlike black pepper (native to India) and chili peppers (genus Capsicum), which are native to the Americas, it doesn’t come from Piper nigrum.
Chinese and Taiwanese prickly ash shrubs are used to produce Sichuan peppercorn, and relatives of the pant are grown in the Himalayas, Thailand, and Indonesia. Named after the Chinese province of Sichuan, which used to be spelled “Szechuan” in English. The peppercorn native to northern China is Z. bungeanum, and the peppercorn native to eastern China and Taiwan is Z. simultaneous.
Do you know what it tastes like?
Lavender has been compared to the aroma of Sichuan peppercorns. Tastes of bitterness and heat are followed by citrus and numbing heat. The main claim to fame of this drug is its numbing effect around the mouth.
Sichuan Peppercorns For Cooking
Peppercorns are usually roasted and ground before they are used in recipes. Make sure the peppercorns are clean by removing any leaves, twigs, or tiny black seeds. In a frying pan, cook the peppercorns until fragrant over medium heat. Turn off the heat and crush or grind the peppercorns after they cool. You can also save the roasted peppercorns in an airtight jar to grind into a recipe when needed.
Peppercorn recipes from Szechuan
In addition to meat and poultry dishes, Sichuan peppercorn is also commonly found in noodle dishes. An oil infused with Sichuan peppercorn is made with ground, roasted Sichuan peppercorn. As a condiment for meat dishes, it is also combined with salt to make a flavorful Sichuan pepper salt.
- Bam Bam Chicken
- Chinese-style noodles called Dan Dan
- Beef from China
Changing the text
If you do not have Sichuan peppercorns, you can substitute black peppercorns and coriander seeds. Alternatively, you can use Tellicherry peppercorns if you have them on hand. The pepper is ripened longer and developed a higher level of flavor and aroma. The recipe also calls for grain of paradise (double the amount).
What is Szechuan peppercorn and where to buy it
A variety of Asian markets and specialty spice purveyors carry Sichuan peppercorn. There are many different names for this plant, including dried prickly ash, dehydrated prickly ash, flower pepper, Indonesian lemon pepper, or the Mandarin name of hua jiao.
Despite being banned from importation to the United States from 1968 to 2004, Sichuan peppercorns were only seriously regulated in the later years of the ban. This law was enacted to prevent citrus canker, which damages citrus crops in the U.S. but is not harmful to humans. The ban has been lifted for Sichuan peppercorns that have been heat-treated to kill the infectious organisms.