Sichuan pepper is a signature spice of the Sichuan cuisine of China’s southwestern Sichuan Province. When eaten it produces a tingling, numbing effect due to the presence of hydroxy-alpha sanshool in the peppercorn. It is commonly used in Sichuan dishes such as mapo doufu and Chongqing hot pot, and is often added together with chili peppers to create a flavor known as málà.
Sichuan pepper has many functions. It can improve the digestion ability of the body. It can well promote the spleen and stomach transport and chemistry function. It can promote the increase of appetite. It can warm and dispel cold and enhance the yang in the body.
It has the effects of fragrant stomach strengthening, warming and dispersing cold, dehumidification and pain relief, insecticidal and detoxification, antipruritic and fishy relieving. It can remove the fishy smell of all kinds of meat; Promote saliva secretion and increase appetite; Make blood vessels dilate, so as to reduce blood pressure. Pepper water can remove parasites.
Sichuan pepper is also available as an oil. Sichuan pepper infused oil can be used in dressing, dipping sauces, or any dish in which the flavor of the peppercorn is desired without the texture of the peppercorns themselves.