Chillies - Sichuan Green Peppercorns - 10g | CAT Orchard

A small pack of ripe Sichuan/Szechuan green peppercorn sprigs. Sichuan peppercorns are not related to black, white, green or red peppercorns. Instead, they are dried berries from mountain ash trees found in the Sichuan province of China (and here in Mangawhai).
 
If you are a keen foodie then try cooking with these. Use the HUSKS not the seed. Leave the peppercorns somewhere warm and the black seeds pop out. Remove these. Google them to find out how to prepare. Grown here in Mangawhai. Not hot per se but they deliver a weird tongue numbing experience that adds a certain something to your food. 
 
Key Characteristics & Flavor
Numbing Sensation: Contains hydroxy-alpha sanshool, which stimulates touch receptors, creating a buzzing, vibrating feeling on the lips and tongue, distinct from chili heat.
Aroma: Intensely fragrant, with bright citrus notes (lemon, lime) and a woody, floral, and earthy profile.
Flavor Profile: More pronouncedly citrusy and floral than red Sichuan peppercorns, with a stronger numbing effect (ma). 
 
"The aroma and flavour of these peppercorns make them an excellent ingredient for stir-frys and meat seasonings. You can use them whole or chop them into smaller pieces."
 
"Sichuan pepper is aromatic and has a vibrant citrus-like flavour. Unlike black and white peppercorns, these berries don't carry much heat. However, many people find that Szechuan pepper creates a tingling sensation in the mouth".
 
"The seasoning’s English label is a misnomer, as the “peppercorns” are actually husks of dried berries from a type of prickly ash shrub. When you eat chillies, capsaicin induces a burning sensation known in Chinese as là. Sichuan peppercorns produce a phenomenon called paraesthesia, in which the lips and tongue feel as though they are vibrating and go vaguely numb – known as má. Together, the tandem combination of burning and numbing from these two ingredients is known in Chinese as málà, a hallmark of Sichuan cuisine that facilitates sweating – and thus creates a cooling effect that makes the sweltering climate more tolerable." Source.
 
Sauté entire husks in oil with chilis, simmer them in soups during cooking, or add a dash of ground or chopped green Sichuan peppercorns to a completed dish or sauce. Because the green variety are much more numbing than the red variety, use them much more sparingly. (Unless you want to feel like you just got a shot of novocaine at the dentist!)