How Sichuan peppercorns give dishes that numbing mala flavour, and a recipe idea
pepper family, although it is used in the food of China's Sichuan province (as well as in a few other cuisines).
The spice is very fragrant but the effect on the tongue is less a flavour than a tingling sensation that numbs.
The
Sichuan peppercorn is the fruit of a type of prickly ash that belongs to the citrus family – and because it can carry citrus canker bacteria that has the potential to decimate the citrus industry in the United States, it cannot be imported into that country unless it has been irradiated.
When buying Sichuan peppercorns, look for a bright, reddish colour; if they are dull and brown, they will not be very aromatic.
Despite their name, Sichuan peppercorns are not from the pepper family; they are the fruit of a type of prickly ash that belongs to the citrus family. Photo: Shutterstock
To enhance their fragrance, Sichuan peppercorns are usually toasted by being stirred in an unoiled pan. They can also be lightly fried, with the spice imparting its numbing sensation to the oil used.
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