Sichuan peppercorn oil is an oil infused with green Sichuan peppercorns, called teng jiao (rattan pepper). This is not a frying oil. When cooking a hot dish, it is added at the end of cooking as a finishing oil to give the mala (numbing) flavor of the Sichuan peppercorn without the husks. It is also commonly used on cold Sichuan dishes.
Like the huājiāo (花椒) Sichuan peppercorns themselves, the flavor is potent. Use it sparingly. This is not meant to be tasted or used on its own, but as part of the seasoning of the dish.
Several of Jing’s home made recipes use Sichuan peppercorns to season the oil in the wok. The peppercorns are stirred in the oil, and gradually darken, then removed before adding aromatic ingredients like garlic and ginger. This also adds the mala flavoring to the dish, without the texture of the husks. For a comparison of the two approaches, try Jing’s Authentic Mapo Tofu Recipe (which uses peppercorns to flavor the frying oil) with her Restaurant Style Mapo Tofu (which uses the Sichuan peppercorn oil). This oil is also used in her Chinese Spicy Chicken, Home Style and Sichuan Pork in Spicy Broth–Shuizhu Pork.
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