Red Szechuan pepper Huā jiāo

Our red huā jiāo, fully dà hóng páo huā jiāo, is a special Szechuan pepper. Just like other Szechuan peppers characterized by the typical citrus and lavender aroma, but with a distinct aroma of roses, hence the name 'flowerpepper', which has nothing to do with the shape of the fruit.

This Szechuan pepper is the dried, ripe berry of Zanthoxylum bungeanum, one of the many species of the 'toothache tree', called prickly ash in English because of the enormous thorns on the trunk and branches. The pepper is called Szechuan pepper after the region where it grows naturally, Szechuan, the home of one of the ten classic Chinese cuisines.

The name of this pepper is a combination of Dà hóng páo and huā jiāo, which in Szechuan dialect means flower pepper means. Dà hóng páo hua jiāo means homage pepper, a reference to the legend of Dà hóng páo (meaning long red cloak) which takes place in the karst mountains of Wuyishan in Fujian, where Dà hóng páo tea is also harvested, an exclusive oolong.

The Zanthoxylum is a plant that can grow into a large tree whose bark is covered with coarse, sometimes woody spines. As a result, the bark appears covered with a row of 'teeth', hence perhaps the Dutch name 'kiespijnboom' (toothache tree). In traditional Chinese medicine, the peppers and the root—not surprisingly given the appearance of the tree—used to combat toothache.

The ripe berries are picked early in the autumn, as soon as the berries burst open and the rather bitter seeds are released. The seed pods are traditionally dried in the sun, but better varieties are not (anymore). The better quality Szechuan pepper - this one too - contains no or hardly any seeds and no or hardly any stems, and is dried under controlled conditions.

There is a distinct taste difference between the larger berry of Zanthoxylum bungeanum and the smaller one of Zanthoxylum piperitum, which makes the former very popular among Asian chefs. In the Chinese consumer market, but also in other Asian countries (and Europe), the small and often darker berry is the most sought after, partly due to the lower price. The 'old guard' in China also sticks to the taste of this widely available Szechuan.pepper, with a preference for the unripe, green ones.

The unique sharpness experience of sanshol

Characteristic of all Zanthoxylumpeppers, and therefore also for this Szechuan pepper is the tingling you experience on the tip of your tongue caused by a substance in the pepper which is called sanshool, named after the Japanese sanshō. The pungency is caused by the amides in the skin of the fruit: α-, β-, γ- and δ-sanshool, α-hydroxy sanshool and β-hydroxy sanshool. γ-sanshool and α-hydroxy sanshool are primarily responsible for the narcotic effect. The amount of α-hydroxy sanshool in the berries can reach (well over) 50‰ of the dry weight, while that of γ-sanshool is around 5‰.

Szechuan is known as the sharpest Zanthoxylum pepper. In doing so, the Indonesian andaliman – a fairly rare species – is conveniently forgotten, because this 'batakpepper' is also quite sharp. By the way, ripe berries are sharper than unripe ones.

The tingling is accompanied by a mild numbing sensation, jokingly compared to tasting a 9-volt battery. A single berry is enough to experience this! This somatosensation, stimulation by touch, has been used for centuries as an anesthetic in traditional Asian medicine. Its mechanism of action is very complex and the subject of extensive studies. Hydroxy-α-sanshol, in particular, is thought to cause the tingling, and there are certain parallels with the sensation of sharpness caused by capsaicin, the pungent substance in chili.pepper, but also with menthol and mustard oil.

Scent and taste

The Szechuan berry contains

• linalyl acetate, responsible for a pleasant citrus, bergamot, and lavender scent,
• limonene, the scent of lemon peel,
• geraniol, rose scent,
• geranyl acetate, lavender scent.
• β-pinene, pine resin, and
• linalol, responsible for the scents of rosewood and coriander

A ripe berry contains significantly more linalol, geraniol, and geranyl acetate than a green berry.

The aromas develop during aging, in red Szechuanpepper Citrus and lavender predominate.

Combinations

Szechuanpepper Pairs excellently with citrus (kaffir lime leaves), lemongrass, coconut, coriander leaves, curry leaves, exotic fruit, poultry, crustaceans, and shellfish.

Usage

Szechuanpepper occupies a prominent place in classic and modern Szechuan cuisine. It is used in virtually every dish, whole or crushed, roasted and/or ground. In Szechuan cuisine, it is very common to use the Szechuanpepper to roast them before grinding them. Roasting is intended to bring out the flavor of the sun-dried berries. For our pepper roasting isn't really necessary.

Szechuan pepper is one of the ingredients of five-spice powder (wǔxiāng fěn).

For those not familiar with Szechuan pepper, it is advisable to start with caution, not eating it in raw state, unlike the Nepalese timur for example, which can be eaten raw perfectly well.

Features:

• 100% berries of the Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim - opening rate 90% (low seed)
  
• origin: Xinshao, Hunan

Assortment

• available in glass (30 grams), stand-up pouch (various weight classes) and sample sachet (15ml)
• larger quantities than shown on request

Save

• batch number **570387
• best before October 2028 (10-2028)

General advice

• Huā jiāo is the excellent choice for use in wok dishes
• use Szechuan pepper sparingly, and choose for yourself whether to use the berries whole or ground.
  
• Allow the Szechuan to absorb moisture well, so that the flavor and spiciness integrate optimally.