sichuan pepper plant

How do you grow a Sichuan pepper tree?

Szechuan pepper plants, generally planted in spring or fall, thrive in flower beds or large containers. Plant Szechuan peppers in nearly any type of well-drained soil. A handful of all-purpose fertilizer added to the soil at planting time will provided extra nutrition that gets the plant off to a good start.

Is Sichuan pepper the same as Szechuan pepper?

Sichuan pepper (Chinese: 花椒; pinyin: huājiāo) (also Szechuan pepper, Szechwan pepper, Chinese prickly ash, Chinese pepper, rattan pepper, and mala pepper) is a spice commonly used in the Sichuan cuisine of China's southwestern Sichuan Province.

How spicy is Sichuan pepper?

And they're not really peppers either. A spice indigenous to China, Sichuan peppercorns aren't actually pepper, but the dried red-brown berries of a type of ash tree. ... The smell of the peppercorn is intoxicating, lemony and perfumed, and the taste, electric.

Can you eat Sichuan peppercorns raw?

You don't put a whole Sichuan peppercorn in your mouth and bite down—unless you're looking for some anesthesia. ... So if you see a whole Sichuan peppercorn in a dish, avoid chomping on it. It's there for flavor only, and a slight buzz. The more appealing way to eat it is ground into tiny chunks or powder.

What is pepper spice made of?

Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from piperine derived from both the outer fruit and the seed. Black pepper contains between 4.6 and 9.7% piperine by mass, and white pepper slightly more than that.

What is Szechuan pepper used for?

Sichuan peppercorn is featured in numerous savory meat, poultry, and noodle dishes. Ground, roasted Sichuan peppercorn is used to make an infused Sichuan peppercorn oil. It is also paired with salt to make a flavorful Sichuan pepper salt to serve as a condiment with meat dishes.

Is Sichuan pepper bad for you?

Szechuan pepper contains different nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants that are required by the body to function properly. ... In addition to these nutrients, it also has a wide variety of phytosterols, carotenes and terpenes. It is one of the most popular spices in the world, with countless health benefits.

Can you eat the red peppers in Chinese food?

You're not supposed to eat those in the dish—they're only there for the flavor. A lot of people will eat them and then complain that they're too spicy. ... When we're making our chili oil, we roast the peppers to get the full flavor.

Is Sichuan food spicy?

One ancient Chinese account declared that the "people of Sichuan uphold good flavour, and they are fond of hot and spicy taste." Most Sichuan dishes are spicy, although a typical meal includes non-spicy dishes to cool the palate.

Is Chinese prickly ash the same as Sichuan pepper?

North American prickly ash comes from the same family as Sichuan pepper, also called Chinese prickly ash, and Sansho pepper, also called Japanese prickly ash. It's not, botanically speaking, a true pepper. ... Its numbing effect is considerably more delicate than Sichuan Peppercorn.

Why is Sichuan food so spicy?

Sichuan is notoriously humid—damp in the winter and hot in the summer. To counteract the soggy weather, the Sichuanese have historically spiked their diet with warming foods like garlic, ginger, and Sichuan pepper (a spice unrelated to the hot pepper that creates a numbing sensation on the tongue).

Are pink peppercorns the same as Sichuan?

Pink peppercorns are actually the fruit of a completely different plant—the Baies rose plant—a small tree native to South America. ... Szechuan peppercorns also come from an entirely different plant, a type of prickly ash shrub native to northern China.

Should I grind Sichuan peppercorns?

It's better to grind your peppercorns in small batches because they will lose their flavor quickly. Freshly ground Szechuan pepper is better fresh. Refrigerate any extra ground Szechuan pepper.

Can you grind Sichuan peppercorns?

Place Sichuan peppercorns in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat peppercorns, shaking pan occasionally until they begin to darken and become fragrant. Remove from pan and cool. When cooled, grind peppercorns with a spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or crush them with a rolling pin.

Is Sichuan pepper a nightshade?

Banana peppers. Chili peppers (table pepper and peppercorns; black, white, green, and szechuan are not nightshades) ... Red pepper seasonings and “spices,” “natural flavors” and some curry blends that contain paprika, chili powder, and cayenne.

Why is white pepper so expensive?

You can find white pepper in the spice section of your supermarket. It is usually more expensive than black pepper because it takes more processing and less of it is produced.

Is Peppercorn the same as black pepper?

Black pepper, ubiquitous in table shakers and takeout packets, actually comes from peppercorn, the dried berry of a flowering vine native to Southeast Asia. The pepper most of us encounter is ground, and flavor and aroma-wise, a pale shadow of the whole peppercorn, freshly ground or cooked whole.

Why was pepper so valuable?

Pepper was costly to ship—the Silk Road, the most well-known trade route, stretched over 4,000 miles—but was such a desirable spice that Italian traders could essentially set their own prices. This led to pepper's status as a luxury item in medieval Europe.

How do you cook Sichuan pepper?

In Chinese cooking, Sichuan pepper is toasted before being crushed or ground. This mutes the spice's citrus flavors and heightens its woody notes, making for an excellent pairing with meats. To toast the spice, add it to a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir for about one minute, or until fragrant.

Is Sichuan pepper hot?

It's one of the key ingredients in Chinese “málà” cooking, and its effects are said to be both physiological and mental.

What is Szechuan flavor?

Szechuan cuisine is typically a very spicy type of Chinese food and is also known for being very flavorful. Many Szechuan dishes incorporate a lot of garlic and chilli peppers. Sichuan is known to have poor weather with high humidity and lots of rainy days, which is why red pepper is used in so many dishes.

Where can I buy Sichuan peppercorns?

Spice Stores

Penzey's Spices and Dean & Deluca are two notable spice or specialty food shops that have been known to carry Sichuan peppercorns, so they are good stores to check with. A few retailers also offer Sichuan peppercorns in a salt blend or with other varieties of whole peppercorns.