Sichuan Peppercorn (pinyin: Huājiāo) are not peppercorns at all. They are the seed husks of a prickly ash shrub, related to citrus. The seed husk has a flower appearance when opened. The spice has a slightly citrus flavor and produces a numbing or tingling effect in the mouth when eaten, due to the presence of hydroxy-alpha sanshool.
What does “Mala” mean?
When used with Chinese chili peppers, Huājiāo produces the “mala” flavor, which is spicy or hot and numbing or tingling at the same time. This is a signature flavor of Sichuan cuisine. Chinese cuisine is about contrasts, and Sichuan cuisine takes this contrast to a delightful extreme. For an authentic Sichuan flavor, especially in hot pot, Mapo Tofu, or Kung Pao chicken, premium grade Sichuan peppercorns are best, such as the “Flower Pepper” variety shown here. When combined with quality caiziyou (roasted rapeseed oil) the flavor is as authentic as you can get.
Sichuan peppercorn is also one of the five ingredients in the Chinese “Five Spice” mix of which you may have heard. Lightly roasting the peppercorns releases their flavor. If you want to use them as a powdered seasoning you can can roast them dry on a skillet until they are fragrant. Then grind the roasted peppercorns in a mortar and add to your spice mix. To flavor a recipe, the Sichuan peppercorns are heated in the oil to season and flavor the oil before adding other ingredients.
You can also roast and grind Sichuan peppercorns to release their flavor. Click here to learn how. I prefer this method when cooking recipes that leave the Sichuan peppercorn in the dish, or that call for Sichuan peppercorn powder.
Purchasing Sichuan Peppercorn in the West
The US government lifted the import ban on Sichuan peppercorns in 2005. So you can readily find the spice online. There is a wide variety in quality and potency, however. I have found the quality of the Sichuan peppercorns from the Mala Market to be the best. They cost more, but they are so potent and fresh that I find a teaspoon of Mala Market peppercorns equals a tablespoon of the mass market stuff on Amazon. You get what you pay for, as the saying goes.
(NOTE: We do not receive any compensation for endorsements. Taylor and her daughter have gone to great lengths to source quality ingredients directly from farmers in Chengdu. Her adopted daughter is originally from Chengdu. So when you support the Mala Market, located in Tennessee, you are supporting family businesses here in the US and in China.)
SICHUAN FLOWER PEPPER (SPECIAL-GRADE DA HONG PAO SICHUAN PEPPER)
The Sichuanese do not call Sichuan pepper “Sichuan pepper.” They call it hua jiao, which means flower pepper, and when you see a perfect specimen of the numbing spice you understand why. Not only are these “flowering” Sichuan pepper pods more likely to dislodge their gritty black seeds, they are significantly larger, more fragrant and more potent.
https://themalamarket.com
–The Mala Market
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