In the Aisles: Sichuan Pepper
They’re beautiful, they’re mouth watering, and they’re a little confusing.
Are they spicy? Are they pepper? Why would ‘numbing’ be a good thing? People don’t quite know what to make of Sichuan Pepper initially, but once you get a taste for it we’re sure you’ll be coming back to that flavour/experience again and again.
My first experience with Sichuan Pepper was fraught. I had no idea what they were or why my mouth was starting to feel numb. I thought I was having an allergic reaction and was about to go into anaphylaxis - a particular fear of mine as it is how my Grandmother died. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case and someone soon informed me of the effect of what I had just eaten. I steered clear of it for years, but at some point something switched, and I can’t get enough.
The numbing effect is produced by a compound called hydroxy-alpha sanshool, it is structured similar to a capsaicin (chillies!) but the mechanism by which it creates the nerve effect operates differently and is still the subject of scientific debate. Think of this effect as a spice in and of itself…like carbonation in a drink, the numbness makes melds the flavours of the dish together in new and surprising ways - it’s a flavour enhancer!
When it comes to buying Sichuan Pepper, it can be a little tricky for the layman to get the best product. Ideally, it will be vacuum packed, looking glossy, colourful and fresh. However, the small packs available at most asian grocers often tend towards the loosely packed, dry and dusty. Thankfully, at Salt Gang we have the luxury of buying our spices in huge vacuum sealed bags. As a consumer alternative, keep on the look out for oils infused with Sichuan Pepper at the asian grocer. It may be called Pepper Oil or Green Pepper Oil or something like that, just read the ingredients label. Let us know if you think we need to introduce our own version.
A note on the name: I guess they look a little like pepper…but the name really is a misnomer and the several different species in the Zanthoxylum genus used to produce Sichuan Pepper are not even related to them. Some of them apparently do make lovely Bonsai though. Taxonomically, they are a closer relative of the citrus family which makes sense when you consider their heady aroma. It is possible you may see them labelled as Chinese Prickly Ash, or even Sansho pepper if it is a more Japanese or Korean store.
There are also multiple varieties which come from different species within the genus. Most commonly used are Red Sichuan Pepper as they are more flavourful, that’s why we use it in our products, but there is also Green commonly available which is milder but has a stronger numbing effect.
