Sichuan cuisine is one of the many traditional Chinese cuisines. In particular, dried chilies are used exclusively for Chinese traditional cuisine and many Sichuan dishes in the Sichuan province. For traditional Sichuan cuisine of China, five spices are used, among which the Sichuan peppercorns are one of the extraordinary key ingredients, also known as Szechuan peppercorns. Their lavender-like aroma can be easily mistaken for flowers, but these peppercorns are dried outer parts of the red berries adorned by the Zanthoxylum ash tree. In ancient times, these peppercorns were used for purposes other than cooking, such as relieving tooth pain with their numbing effect. They are favored by many, despite their numbing and tingling sensation. Toss the Szechuan peppercorns while you’re cooking them. The stir-frying technique is a Chinese innovation and is very common for roasting these peppercorns. Braising is another technique used especially when cooking meat. In braising, add Sichuan peppercorns to the meat in a frying pan. Other than these cooking methods, you can add these dried berries in spice powdered form, by grinding and sprinkling Sichuan peppers (aka Szechuan pepper) on food or for seasoning during cooking. They are a major component of Chinese 5 Spice, a popular seasoning blend. If you can’t find them where you live, try looking them up online or in the supermarket by flower pepper, Indonesian lemon pepper, or prickly dried ash. While these are all alternative English names, you can even find the Sichuan peppercorns by their Chinese name, Huā Jiāo. The raw ones will only be easy to find in their native cultivation areas, which are mostly China and Taiwan.
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On the other hand, when you bite a Sichuan peppercorn, you’re bound to find it bitter at first. You will also feel a sour taste due to the juicy lime, accompanied by the numbing that takes a while to settle. If you want something spicier than Szechuan peppercorns, black peppercorns are your best bet as they can make any dish taste like it’s on fire, as does black pepper. Before grinding, all unnecessary elements have to be removed, including any infected Sichuan peppercorns with black seeds or untidy twigs attached. The seeds inside are the innermost constituent and need to be discarded too, as they are void of flavor. If you’re not immediately grinding these peppercorns, store them in an airtight jar. Grinding the Szechuan peppercorn berries gives a slight advantage in contrast to the ready-made powdered form. The flavor is fresh and delightful and produces a more powerful numbing sensation.
