Sichuan pepper (Chinese, Japanese)

The genus Zanthoxylum, to which pepper belongs, belongs to the Rutaceae family. The spice has been known for several thousand years and is very loved in Asian cuisine.

Sichuan pepper is also called Chinese, Japanese, Nepalese, lemon, etc., and that's all, because it has a different habitat. Despite its name, this spice has nothing to do with the pepper family. It is not used for cooking spicy dishes, as it is not really hot.

Titles in other languages:

• German Anispfeffer, Japanischer Pfeffer, Bergpfeffer;
• English Sichuan pepper;
• fr. Poivre du Sichuan, Poivre anise.

The spice is a dry, rusty-brown fruit shell-box. The taste is moderately spicy, but very stinging tongue (due to the amides included in the composition). The smell is strong peppery, with nutmeg-anise and lemon notes.

• Pepper fruits grow and ripen on woody prickly bushes, from 2 to 10 meters high. They can be either unisexual or bisexual.
• Leaves pinnate, alternate.
• Small yellowish flowers.
• Fruits are formed from flowers in bivalve boxes. Each contains one seed, which has no flavor and is not used in seasoning.

There are 134 varieties in the pepper genus. Among them there are quite a lot of very similar plants. Depending on the area where they grow, their taste, appearance and, of course, the name change slightly.So, in Latin Sichuan pepper sounds like Zanthoxylum piperitum.

We present several varieties with their differences:

This pepper is common in Northern and Western India. The tree is distinguished by bark with large conical thorns, the branches also have thorns, but small ones. The berries are large, rather hard, they are rarely left in the finished dish. The taste and aroma of berries is pronounced.

This type of pepper is native to Japan. The tree vine does not have thorns. The fruits are slightly pungent, with a lemon flavor. Its leaves are also used, which have a mint-lime aroma.

Habitat - Korea. This is the shortest thorny shrub, no more than 2 meters in height. The fruits are medium-sharp with the smell of anise and basil.

A native of East China and Taiwan. Shrub of medium size, has small spines on the branches. The taste of berries is moderately burning, the aroma is the weakest. The leaves are used as a seasoning.

It is worth noting that even in Japan or China, various types of plants can be found.

The beginning of the spice genus occurs in southern China, from there it spread widely throughout the temperate zone of Japan, the Himalayas, India and North America. But still, it is more popular in East Asia.

Sichuan pepper is harvested in autumn, when the fruits have opened and changed in color - from green to brown-red. The crop is well dried and the seeds are removed, leaving the peel.

Dried shells are sold whole, where seeds can sometimes come across. In ground form, in addition to the fruits, a certain amount of stems, cuttings and seeds are added, which give the bitterness of the spice.The seasoning also goes on sale in the form of a paste, mixed with hot varieties of pepper, in oil, or with salt.

• All types of this pepper have aromas of lemon, camphor, anise, nutmeg or eugenol.
• Each of them does not have a strong burning sensation, but causes a tingling sensation when it gets on the receptors of the tongue.

For 100 grams of Sichuan pepper:

The spice contains:

Vitamins:

• biotin (H),
• thiamine(B1),
• tocopherol (E),
• riboflavin(B2),
• pyridoxine(B6),
• nicotinamide (RR),
• folic acid (B9),
• cyanocobalamin (B12),
• pantothenic acid(B5),
• ascorbic acid (C).

Trace elements:

• zinc, selenium, copper,
• potassium, calcium, magnesium,
• manganese, iron, phosphorus, sodium.

When used in moderation, the seasoning only benefits. But with an excess, it disrupts the digestive tract. Allergic reactions to some components of pepper are possible.

In addition to the ability to use Sichuan pepper for food, it is also successfully used for medical purposes and not only, but already in the form of an essential oil.

The action of EM manifests itself as:

• powerful antioxidant,
• anti-inflammatory,
• antibacterial,
• deodorant,
• rejuvenating,
• antiseptic,
• tonic,
• effective toothache remedy
• a drug that strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

Application methods:

• Enrichment of cosmetics, shampoos, balms - 3 drops per tablespoon of base.
• Purification and aromatization of air - 4 drops.
• Healing baths - 3-5 drops per 200 liters.
• Massages and rubbing - 4 drops per tablespoon of transport oil.

Do not use during pregnancy.When applied to the skin, a slight tingling sensation is normal.

All varieties of this pepper are used for the same medicinal and culinary purposes. The taste of each of them is fully revealed when heated, but is also lost during long heat treatment. Therefore, add spice at the end of cooking, or in already prepared dishes. The use of Sichuan pepper is similar pepper tree (sansho).

We bring to your attention several recipes with Sichuan pepper.

Boil one kilogram of washed and cut ribs in boiling water for 15 minutes. While the meat pulled out of the broth cools and dries, prepare the marinade. Mix 60 ml of dark soy sauce, one teaspoon of Sichuan pepper, three tablespoons of shaoxing wine (cook, rice wine) and a tablespoon of brown sugar. In the resulting liquid, add chopped fresh ginger (about five centimeters of the root), three cloves of garlic and half a teaspoon of chili pepper flakes.

Put the ribs in a bowl, pour the marinade over, cover with a lid and leave for at least two hours. Then fry the meat over high heat for about 15 minutes (for such quick cooking, it is best to use a wok - a deep, light "frying pan" made of thin metal). Sprinkle the finished dish with green onions. Cooked vegetables or a salad are good as a side dish.

First, let's prepare the dough. Mix 3-4 cups of flour of the highest and first grades (2: 1) with salt. Make a well and add 200 ml of warm water. We mix the components to a rough dough and knead for about six minutes until elastic. Leave for half an hour in a warm place.

In the meantime, we make the filling.Two pieces of onions, a teaspoon of ginger, garlic, chop and lightly fry. Then add the finely chopped breast of one chicken, 250 grams of mushrooms, cilantro, salt to taste. Cook for ten minutes, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of Sichuan pepper, mix thoroughly, let cool.

Next, thinly roll out the dough, cut out circles of 7 centimeters and put in the center of each a spoonful of filling. We connect the edges of the mug from above, leaving the lower part flat, we get a kind of dumpling. Put momo in a preheated frying pan, fry to a crust, pouring in a little water, simmer until tender. Serve only hot with chutney or your favorite sauce.

Momo is prepared with a variety of fillings: vegetable, cheese, potato, beef, pork and lamb. It is also good to combine vegetables with meat in them.

It will take half a kilogram of gutted smelt. Rinse the fish and drain off the water. Pour it with freshly squeezed juice of a large orange, add one tablespoon of soy sauce and leave for half an hour.

In the meantime, prepare the breading mixture. Mix 1 tsp. Sichuan pepper, coriander and chili flakes. Grind to a state of powder, pour 5 tbsp. flour, a pinch of salt and mix. Bread the smelt and fry in olive oil until golden brown.

Before serving, the fish can be sprinkled with lemon.

You will need 35% cream in an amount of 90 ml. Pour them into a small bowl, bring to a boil over low heat and remove from the stove. Add 3 teaspoons of ground coffee and a tablespoon of Sichuan pepper. Cover with a lid, leaving the mixture for half an hour.

Meanwhile, crumble a standard bar of dark chocolate (from 70%) into a bowl.Having melted it, pour the finished cream through a fine sieve, mix and set to cool.

Beat three egg whites with a tablespoon of sugar with a mixer until stiff peaks. Pour in the chocolate mass and gently, from top to bottom, mix until smooth. We shift the mousse into forms for serving. Refrigerate for about 3.5 hours. Serve with whipped cream.

For a vegetarian recipe for steamed eggplant with Sichuan pepper sauce, see the following video.

• A yellow dye is obtained from wood.
• Pepper extract is used in the perfume industry.
• Dishes, decorative elements, smoking pipes are made of wood.

To grow a spice, it is necessary to create special conditions for the plant. Sowing seeds is done in February, but before that they are stratified for 90 days in the refrigerator. Germination may take several months.

The soil for pepper should be well-drained. Watering plentiful and regular. You can keep the plants in the sun, but partial shade is optimal. The temperature should not be high.

It is worth noting that Sichuan pepper is a dioecious plant, so you need to grow several trees at the same time to get a crop.