Sichuan pepper is a spice made from the dried outer shell of the fruit of plants in the genus Zanthoxylum, in the family Rutaceae, widely used in Sichuan cuisine and in the cooking of the Himalayas. Despite its name it is not closely related to black pepper or chili pepper, since Zanthoxylum plants belong to the same family as citrus and rue. When eaten it produces a tingling, numbing sensation caused by the compound hydroxy-alpha sanshool, and it is used in dishes such as mapo doufu and Chongqing hot pot, often combined with chili peppers to create the flavor known in Chinese as mala, or numb spiciness.
Sources
Wikidata: Sichuan Pepper
Wikidata Q756800, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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