Red Sichuan pepper Huā jiāo

Our red huā jiāo. In full dà hóng páo huā jiāo, is a special Szechuan pepper. Like other Szechuan peppers, it is characterized by the  typical citrus and lavender aroma, but with a clear rose aroma, hence the name 'flower pepper', which has nothing to do with the shape of the fruit.

This Szechuan pepper is the dried, unripe berry of the Zanthoxylum bungeanum, one of the many species of 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 naturally grows, Szechuan, home to one of the ten classical Chinese cuisines.

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

The Zanthoxylum is a plant that can grow into a large tree, the bark of which is covered with coarse, sometimes woody spines. The bark therefore appears to be covered with a row of 'teeth', hence perhaps the Dutch name toothache tree. In traditional Chinese medicine, the peppers and the root are used - not surprisingly given the appearance of the tree - to combat toothache.

The ripe berry is picked early in the fall, as soon as the berries burst open and the fairly bitter seeds are released. The seed pods are traditionally dried in the sun, but better types are not (anymore). The better quality Szechuan pepper - this one too - contains no or hardly any seeds and no or hardly any stalks, and is dried in a conditioned manner.

There is a clear difference in taste between the smaller berry of Zanthoxylum bungeanum and Zanthoxylum piperitum, making the former very popular with Asian chefs.  On the Chinese consumer market, but also in other Asian countries (and Europe), the small and often darker berry is the most popular, partly because of the lower price. The 'old guard' in China also holds on to the taste of this generally available Szechuan pepper, with a preference for the unripe, green one.

The unique sharpness experience of sanshol

Characteristic of all Zanthoxylum peppers, and therefore also of this Szechuan pepper, is the tingling sensation you experience on the tip of your tongue due to a substance in the pepper called sanshool, named after the Japanese sanshō. The pungency is caused by the amides in the peel of the fruit: α-, β-, γ- and δ-sanshool, α hidroxy sanshool and β-hidroxy sanshool. The numbing effect is mainly caused by γ sanshool and α hidroxy sanshool. The amount of α-hidroxy-sanshool in the berries can amount to (well over) 50 ‰ of the dry weight, of γ sanshool around 5‰.

Szechuan is considered the hottest Zanthoxylum pepper. The Indonesian andaliman - a fairly rare variety - is conveniently forgotten, because this 'batak pepper' is also quite hot. By the way, ripe berries are hotter than the unripe ones.

The tingling is accompanied by a slight numbness, jokingly compared to tasting a 9 volt battery. A single berry is enough to experience that! This somatosensation, stimulation by touch, has been used for centuries as an anaesthetic in traditional medicine in Asia. The effect is very complex and the subject of extensive studies. Hydroxy-α-sanshol in particular is said to cause the tingling, and there are certain parallels with the sharpness experience of capsaicin, the sharp substance in chili pepper, but also with menthol and mustard oil.

Smell 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 fragrance.
• β-pinene, pine resin, and
• linalool, responsible for the scents of rosewood and coriander

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

The aromas develop during maturation, with citrus and lavender predominating in red Szechuan pepper.

Combinations

Sichuan pepper combines well with citrus (kafir leaf), lemongrass, coconut, coriander leaf, curry leaf, exotic fruits, poultry, shellfish and shellfish.

Usage

Szechuan pepper occupies a prominent place in the classical and modern Szechuan cuisine. It is used in almost every dish, whole or crushed, roasted and/or ground. In Szechuan cuisine it is very common to roast the Szechuan pepper before grinding it. The roasting is meant to bring out the flavor of the sun-dried berries. For our pepper, roasting is not really necessary.

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

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

Features:

• 100% berries of the Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim
  
• Origin: Xinshao, Hunan

Assortment

• available in glass, stand-up pouch and test tube
• glass jar contains 30 grams
• stand-up pouches with a capacity of up to 30 to 300 grams
• available in 10 ml test tube
• larger quantities on request

Gift wrapping

• The jar is available in a 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 excellent for use in stir-fry dishes
• use Sichuan pepper sparingly, and choose to use the berries whole or ground
  
• allow the Szechuan to absorb moisture well, so that the flavour and pungency are optimally integrated

Save:

• store your szechuan pepper in a closed container
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• at least good until October 2026 (10-2026)
• This expiration date is an indication

Batch number

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