Sichuan peppercorn

Used in 3 recipes on RecipeWiki.

Sichuan peppercorns are the dried husks of a prickly ash berry and are not true pepper at all. Their flavour is citrusy and woody, but their signature is a sensation: a tingling, buzzing numbness on the lips and tongue, known in Chinese as ma. Paired with chilli heat, la, it creates the mala character of Mapo Tofu, and it gives Kung Pao Chicken and Dan Dan Noodles their lingering tingle. Pick out any shiny black seeds and stems, which are gritty and bitter, then toast the husks in a dry pan until fragrant and grind them fresh. Ground Sichuan pepper loses its tingle within weeks, so grind only what you need.