Description

Sze Chuan Peppercorn

Sichuan pepper is the dried berry of a type of spiky shrub native to regions of Western China. Unlike its name suggests, it’s neither a pepper nor a chilies. Unique to Chinese cuisine, it has been used as a spice since ancient times. It has a pinkish-red, pimply appearance and delivers a distinctive, mouth-numbing sensation.

It’s best to describe its taste in two dimensions:
• Flavour-wise, it has a citrus aroma plus an overtone of pine.
• Sense-wise, it creates a tingly, numbing sensation in your mouth that is something like the effect of carbonated drinks or of a mild electric current (touching the terminals of a nine-volt battery to the tongue.
It doesn’t produce heat thus it doesn’t taste hot. Dishes that contain Sichuan pepper often taste spicy simply because it’s often paired with dried chilli pepper.

USE AS WHOLE
• Sizzle in oil for stir fry dishes (eg. Chinese potato stir fry)
• Pair with star-anise, Chinese cinnamon, etc. for braised dishes (eg. spiced beef & potato stew)
• For Sichuan style “water boiled” dishes: fry, crush then pour hot oil over (eg. Sichuan boiled fish)
• Make the soup base of Sichuan/Chongqing style hotpot
USE AS POWDER
• Sprinkle over hot dishes (eg. Mapo tofu)
• Mix in dressing for cold dishes (eg. Mouth-watering chicken)
• Make seasoning for noodles dishes (eg. Dan Dan Noodles)
• Add to layered Chinese pastry (eg. Scallion pancake)
• Stir in dumpling fillings (eg. Great dumpling fillings)
• Marinate meat to reduce its gamey smell
FOR MAKING CONDIMENT
• Chinese five-spice powder
• Chinese salt & pepper spice mix
• Sichuan pepper infused oil