Red Sichuan pepper Huā jiāo

Our red huā jiāo, fully dà hóng páo huā jiāo, is a special Szechuan pepper. Just like other Szechuanpeppers characterized by the Typical citrus and lavender aroma, but with a distinct aroma of roses, hence the name 'flower pepper', 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 means flower pepper in the Szechuan dialect. 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 husks are traditionally sun-dried, but better varieties are not (anymore). The better quality Szechuan pepper – including this one – 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 variety.

The unique sharpness experience of sanshol

Characteristic of all ZanthoxylumpeppersAnd so, for this Szechuan pepper as well, the tingling sensation you experience on the tip of your tongue is caused by a substance in the pepper called sanshool, named after the Japanese sanshō. The spiciness 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 numbing 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 spiciest Zanthoxylum pepper. In doing so, the Indonesian andaliman—a fairly rare variety—is conveniently forgotten, because this 'Batak pepper' is also quite spicy. Incidentally, ripe berries are spicier 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 believed to cause the tingling, and there are certain parallels with the sensation of spiciness from capsaicin, the pungent substance in chili peppers, 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 ripening; in red Szechuan pepper, citrus and lavender predominate.

Combinations

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

Usage

Szechuan pepper holds 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 roast Szechuan pepper before grinding it. Roasting is intended to bring out the flavor of the sun-dried berries. For our pepper, roasting is not really necessary.

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

For those unfamiliar with Szechuan pepper, it is advisable to start with caution and not to eat the pepper raw, unlike Nepalese timur, for example, which can be eaten raw perfectly well.

Features:

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

Assortment

• available in glass (30 grams), stand-up pouch and test tube (10 ml)
• Larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

• The jar is available in tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper.
• For an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the gift packaging section.

General advice

• Huā jiāo is the Szechuan pepper that is excellent for use in stir-fry 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.

Save:

• Store your Szechuan pepper in a closed package.
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• batch **210 - best before October 2026 (10-2026)
• batch **570387 - best before October 2028 (10-2028)
• This expiration date is an indication.

Batch number

The batch number helps us trace which supply an item originated from. It is listed on the packing slip and the invoice.