Szechuan pepper

Szechuan pepper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Family: Rutaceae Genus: Zanthoxylum Species: piperitum
Binomial name
Zanthoxylum piperitum

Szechuan peppercorn (Zanthoxylum piperitum) is not a member of the pepper family. It is the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a plant related to prickly ash. It is known in Chinese as (山椒) Shan jiao or (花椒) hua jiao, in Japanese as (山椒) sansho and in Tibetan as emma. Tibetans believe it can sanitize meat that may not be so fresh. It is widely used in the cuisine of Sichuan Province.

The taste of Szechuan peppercorns is not hot like black or red pepper, but is a kind of tingly numbness that sets the stage for these hot spices. Recipes often suggest lightly toasting and then crushing the tiny seedpods before adding them to food.

Szechuan peppercorns are one of the traditional ingredients in the Chinese spice mixture five spice powder.

External links and references

• Gernot Katzer's spice pages