Szechuan pepper | whole | red-brown

Although travellers to Asia like Marco Polo brought the first Szechuan fruits with them to Europe centuries ago, this unique spice was hardly noticed outside Europe. This changed increasingly in the last years, Szechuan and other representatives of the genus Zanthoxylum (Timut, Sansho, Andaliman, Cumeo, Bhutan pepper) quickly gained popularity. This ¨fake¨ pepper is named after the Chinese province of Sichuan, where it is native. It usually grows wild on bushes and shrubs up to high mountain regions. It is harvested in autumn, when the berries take on a bright red colour. After harvesting, the ripe fruits are dried in the sun and turn reddish brown. The seed capsules begin to open and the small black seed usually falls out. Of this spice with a pleasant citrus note, the aromatic fruit or seed capsules are mainly used. The rather medium-hot Szechuan pepper is indispensable for Asian cuisine and is often combined with hot chilli varieties. It is characterized by a tingling taste and a slight feeling of numbness on the tongue. Szechuan pepper is ideal with all wok dishes, white poultry and fish dishes. Pepper blends give Szechuan pepper a citrus-fresh note. Mixed with cinnamon, fennel, Star anise and cloves are known as the classic ¨Chinese Five Spice¨ .