Sichuan peppercorns

花椒 | huā jiāo

The quintessential Sichuan peppercorn or “flower pepper” (huājiāo) isn’t actually a peppercorn but the reddish, cracked dried husk of the berry from the prickly ash tree, a shrub native to eastern China.

Intensely aromatic, Sichuan peppercorns have a piney scent with a citrusy note. They don’t provide any heat, unlike the typical burn associated with peppers, and cause a numbing and tingling sensation on the tongue instead. There are two kinds of Sichuan peppercorns, red and green. The unripe green peppercorns are lemony in flavor and more numbing, but harder to find.

Cooking with Sichuan peppercorns

Heat the oil in your wok or pan until shimmering, then add the peppercorns and let them sizzle until you can smell their aroma. Use low heat— burning the peppercorns will make them bitter.

Don’t eat these in the dish! They flavor the food, but you don’t want to bite into one— they leave an unpleasant sour aftertaste.

Purchasing tips

I get my Sichuan peppercorns from my local Asian supermarket. For an online source I recommend Mala Market. Look for peppercorns with a vibrant red color, not brown, without too many visible seeds and stems in the bag.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. To preserve their aroma for even longer, store in the freezer. 

Homemade ground Sichuan peppercorn

花椒面 | huā jiāo miàn

I recommend grinding Sichuan peppercorns yourself, since their numbing, citrusy flavor fades quickly, and the store-bought ones always taste dusty and dull in comparison.  My grandma uses ground peppercorn in her cooking in place of whole peppercorns, to avoid the possibility of accidentally biting into one.

A dash of this adds a smoky, citrusy aroma and a buzz of flavor to dipping sauces, stir-fries, or braises, and it’s essential for classic Sichuan dishes like mapo tofu. 

Homemade Sichuan peppercorn powder

Ingredients: 2 tablespoon whole red Sichuan peppercorns

• Toast the peppercorns in a dry wok or saucepan over medium-low heat for 1 minute, stirring continuously. When they smell very fragrant and start to pop, remove from heat and pour them into a plate or bowl.  
• When the peppercorns are cooled, grind into a fine powder, either in a pestle or mortar, or in a spice grinder. Sift through a coarse mesh sieve to remove the bits of husk, as they are flavorless (optional). Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.