Diving Into the Ingredients That Make Us: Sichuan Peppercorns – wayfarersoliloquy
For today’s post I’ll be talking about the wonderful mouth-numbing flavor enhancers called Sichuan Peppercorns.
Anyone lucky or brave enough to endure the sometimes sadomasochistic flavors of Sichuan cuisine will know what these are. Sichuan Peppercorns have migrated past the birthplace of their name and permeated the deep fabric of Chinese cuisine. But what are they?
The Story of Spice
How did people figure out how to use this unique spice? After all, these tiny berries don’t contain any sugary flesh that would have attracted our hungry ancestors. The secret, as with many spices, lies in our ancient and ever progressive quest to find medicines to cure our ailments. Sichuan Peppercorns are no exception.
Two species of Zanthoxylum or Mountain Ash trees produce the peppercorns. These trees are actually related to citrus trees like lemons and oranges. Their berries contain seeds that resemble annoying pebbles of sand. Once discarded, all that’s left are the edible husks which become the spice after drying.
The Chinese characters for Sichuan Peppercorns are 花椒, which roughly translates to flower pepper. Before that other delicious Sichuan staple of Mexican origin—the chili pepper, of course—infiltrated Chinese gastronomy, spiciness was first extracted by using herbs, ginger, and yes, Sichuan peppercorns. Somewhere around the 16th and 17th centuries, Indian traders introduced chili peppers to the Sichuan diet. From this point forward, the local ingredients ginger, garlic, and mouth-numbing Sichuan Peppercorns were combined with tongue destroying chili peppers, to forge modern Sichuan cuisine.
Mouth Numbing Goodness
What causes the spice’s intense mouth numbing effect? This is thanks to the molecule Hydroxy alpha sanshool. This compound binds to our somatosensory neurons, creating an effect similar to local anesthetics.
For the spice’s most common flavor partner, the chili pepper, things work differently. The compound capsaicin in chili peppers activates thermal nociceptors. These pain receptors lead to sweating, racing heart rates, and that all too familiar fight-or-flight feeling activated by the body’s sympathetic nervous system. Therefore, by pairing pain-inducing chili peppers and tongue numbing Sichuan peppercorns together, Sichuan cuisine has effectively created the ultimate balance of flavors and sensations.
Modern Uses
If you’ve used or eaten five-spice powder, then you’ve eaten ground Sichuan Peppercorns. These flavorful berries have made their way not only into Sichuan cuisine but in many of China’s regional specialties.
If you’ve never cooked with them, do yourself a favor and try them out. The most popular technique is to make chili oil. All you need is a pan, some oil—preferably one with a high smoke point, one tablespoon of Sichuan Peppercorns, as many dried chilis as you want—depending on your spice tolerance, and a pinch of salt.
First, heat some oil in a pan. Once its nice and hot add your dried chili peppers and a sprinkle of Sichuan Peppercorns either whole or ground—I like them whole because of the texture. You will immediately notice the pungent aromas of lavender and citrus peel after the spices start to sizzle. Cook them for only a minute and add a pinch of salt when you’re done. When you add this infused oil—and the dried chilis and peppercorns if you’re brave—to your food, it will be a mind-bending experience, trust me!