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Szechuan Peppercorns
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Szechuan Peppercorns | ||||
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The aroma of Szechuan peppercorns is a mixture of strong lemon citrus, warmth, and a hint of earthiness. They are very aromatic and have a flavor that is slightly hot, antiseptic, and citric, but not similar to that of black pepper. Most of the flavor is in the orange-red outer fruit and not the inner seed, which is often omitted because of its gritty texture.
These Szechuan peppercorns are referred to by several different names including: Sichuan pepper, Chinese pepper, Japanese pepper, Szetchwan pepper, Szechwan peppercorns and Prickly Ash. |
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| Szechuan Peppercorn Cooking Hints | |||||
 Szechuan pepper, or
Sichuan pepper,
is an important flavoring in several regional
culinary styles. They are most important in Chinese and Japanese cooking, but
also in Koran and
Himalayan cuisines among
some others.The spice is an ingredient in several important condiments such as the Chinese Five Spice Powder, Japan's popular Shichimi Tōgarashi, and Sichuan peppered salt. Sichuan peppered salt is made by well toasting Szechuan peppercorns adding coarse salt, Chipotle, finely grinding, and serving as a condiment. In Sichuan cooking the numbing bite of Szechuan pepper is often combined with chili peppers to create fiery dishes. A common way this is done is by toasting both Szechuan peppercorns and chili peppers in oil until brown and then adding broth or water quickly (but cautiously!!) followed by thinly sliced meat or vegetables. The food is rapidly cooked by the large amount of steam produced.
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| The Szechuan Peppercorn Tree | |||||
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Szechuan peppercorns are not true peppercorns, but the berry of a plant
native to northern China called the Prickly Ash, or xanthoxylum peperitum.
It is a small tree to large shrub with many thorns and leaves that are
similar in appearance to that of ash tree's, although they are not related.
Rather, Szechuan Peppercorns are produced by a plant in the Rue or citrus family, Rutaceae. The Prickly Ash is closely related to a North American tree called a Toothache Tree for its numbing qualities. Prickly Ash grows mainly in China, Japan, and Korea. In 2005 the FDA lifted a ban on the import of Szechuan Peppercorns put in place because of fears this spice might transfer new strains of citrus cankers to the U.S. While this pathogen is no threat to humans, it is of great concern to citrus growers because of its ability to devastate crops of citrus fruit. This concern was solved by heat treating the Szechuan pepper before import and thus the ban has been lifted on the heat treated Szechuan peppercorns. |
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