Spice
Sichuan pepper
花椒
Also called Sichuan peppercorn, hua jiao
The dried husk of a prickly ash (Zanthoxylum), not a peppercorn and not related to black pepper. It numbs the lips and leaves a citrus tingle — the má in má là — which is why mapo tofu feels electric rather than merely hot.
Origin
Sichuan and the surrounding mountains cooked with huājiāo for centuries, long before chilli arrived to complete the pairing.
Flavour
Citrus peel, wood, pine, then a buzzing numbness. Stale ones taste of dust and leave the numbness without the perfume.
How to use it
Toast lightly in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind; blooming whole husks in oil also works for mapo tofu. A teaspoon of freshly ground husk is plenty for a wok of tofu. Pick out the shiny black seeds if they are still in the husk; they are gritty and bitter. Do not substitute black pepper: you will get a different heat and no tingle. Buy small bags from a Chinese grocer; supermarket jars are often already dead.
Storage
Airtight, dark, cool, and not for years. If you crush a husk and smell nothing, it is pot-pourri.
Recipes using it
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