Herb & Spice Companion

Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion

Dtp:VIVIAN Page:240

61264 - Herb and Spice Companion_146-256.indd 240 3/7/15 5:31 pm

(Text)

HERB & SPICE COMPANION

• 240 –

SICHUAN PEPPER

Zanthoxylum simulans

Flavors: peppery, woody, tangy,

with slight citrus

These reddish-brown berries are unrelated to the common black pepper (Piper nigrum)

and chili pepper (Capsicum), and they offer a flavor all their own. With subtle lemon

and a light tongue-tingling effect, Sichuan pepper adds complexity and mild heat to

many dishes from its namesake region of China, which is famous for its fiery spices.

Grown on prickly ash trees, the berries open when dried and their bitter, sandy

seeds are removed; only the husks are

ground and used in cooking. Sichuan

pepper—hua jiao, or “flower pepper,”

in Mandarin and faa jiu in Cantonese—

is an integral ingredient in Chinese five-

spice powder (see page 250), frequently

used in traditional “red-cooked,” or

braised, dishes.

The leaves of another prickly ash,

Zanthoxylym piperitem, are also harvested.

Called kinome, these leaves are dried and

powdered to create sancho, a spice used

in Japanese cooking that’s essential to shi-

chimi togarashi, or Japanese seven-spice

powder (see page 250).

In the Garden

As perennials grown in temperate climates in China, Japan, and the Himalayas, prickly

ash trees are dioecious, or single-sexed, meaning they need both male and female

specimens in order to bear fruit. However, a couple trees will produce tasty pepper-

corns for many years. Handle them with care: The trunk, branches, and twigs are lined

with spines or thorns. They’re not called “prickly” for nothing!

Size: 6 to 20 feet tall, about 15 feet wide

Container: At least 15 gallons

HEALTH BENEFITS

Like other hot spices, Sichuan pepper

stimulates digestion starting from

the moment it enters your mouth,

triggering the release of saliva and

other gastric juices. It’s also known

to prevent and relieve gas and

cramps. The bark of the prickly ash

tree was used historically to soothe

toothaches, thanks to its signature

numbing effect; this earned it the

nickname “toothache tree.”

Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion

Dtp:VIVIAN Page:240

61264 - Herb and Spice Companion_146-256.indd 240 3/7/15 5:24 pm