The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | PUNGENT COMPOUNDS | Sichuan Pepper 187

BLENDS TO TRY

Use and adapt these classic blends

featuring Sichuan pepper.

Timur ko chhop p41

Shichimi-togarashi p57

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

The thick husks of the peppercorns can

impede the release of flavours. Toasting

helps the compounds to escape. They

can also be ground in a pepper mill and

used as a condiment.

play up floral notes:

coriander shares

limonene, plus linalool

and peppery myrcene

cinnamon shares

linalool and adds spicy

woody caryophyllene

round out the heat

with warming or

sweet compounds:

star anise’s mix

of penetrating, woody,

and sweet compounds

adds complexity

nutmeg’s

penetrating eugenol

and camphene pack

enough power to make

a match with sanshool

add complexity to

the citrus profile

lemongrass’s

powerful citrus

and myrcene

components make

it an ideal pairing

enhance eucalyptus

notes with spices

containing cineole:

bay also adds

clove-like eugenol

galangal also adds

powerful camphor notes

cardamom pairs

excellently, sharing

linalool and limonene,

as well as cineole

SANSHOOLS

hot | numbing |

tingling

LINALOOL

floral | woody

LIMONENE

citrus | herby

CINEOLE

eucalyptus |

mildly medicinal |

penetrating

Kitchen

creativity

Sichuan pepper is an essential ingredient in Chinese cooking. It comprises two

of the five key flavours of Chinese food, namely hot (or pungent) and bitter (or

numbing), the others being salt, sweet, and sour.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Sichuan pepper contains a group of compounds called sanshools, which act on nerves in the mouth and

lips to cause numbing, tingling sensations. Fragrance is added by a combination of flavour compounds:

linalool, geraniol, limonene, and terpineol. Its sharp qualities come from myrcene and cineole.

FOOD PARTNERS

Vegetables Fry crushed pepper

in oil before using it to stir-fry green

beans, asparagus, or cabbage. Sprinkle

with ground, toasted pepper.

Citrus Sprinkle toasted, crushed

pepper over a tart blood-orange sherbet

or lemon sorbet.

Pork, beef Add whole to slow-

cooked pork belly or oxtail with ginger,

spring onions, star anise, sugar, and soy.

Squid Add crushed pepper to

the batter for deep-fried squid.

Noodles Combine cold cooked

noodles, roasted peanuts, spring onions,

stir-fried greens, and chilli, then drizzle

with a pepper- and sesame-infused oil.

Sanshō

(Zanthoxylum piperatum)

is the milder version from

Japan, with pronounced

citrus flavours.

Timur

(Zanthoxylum alatum)

comes from Nepal

and has distinctly

grapefruit notes.

Andaliman

(Zanthoxylum

acanthopodium) is from

Indonesia and has notes

of lime and mandarin.

Tirphal

(Zanthoxylum rhetsa)

is grown in the coastal

rainforests of India and

has a lingering bitterness.

Zanthoxylum variations

There are regional variants of Sichuan pepper, which come from slightly different tree species.

They have the same core features but can have significantly different flavour profiles.

Avoid over-roasting, which can cause the

loss of the limonene molecules and mask

subtler scents with strong pyrazines.

Toasting also develops

nutty pyrazines

SICHUAN

PEPPER

Si

186-187_Sichuan_pepper.indd 187 13/06/2018 16:23