Red Sichuan Pepper

€8.90

Tax included

We have chosen the emperor variety for our Sichuan pepper, the one called Gong jiao, or Tribute Pepper from the Qingxi region. It represents the nectar of the different varieties of Sichuan pepper. This was given annually to the emperor as an offering.

It is a false pepper or a berry bringing an incomparable sensation of heat with slightly lemony notes. It works just as well with meat, fish or desserts.

Net weight : 35g

History

Plant & perfume

Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) is a bushy tree 5 to 6m high that will give berries that strangely resemble tiny citrus fruits. These berries once dried open in small lobes revealing the seed. Only the seed coat is kept.

Sichaun pepper develops a peppery taste, a warm and slightly lemony sensation on the finish.

Therecitrus fragrances are due to a very simple reason: the genus Zanthoxylum belongs to the large family Rutaceae. And the Rutaceae include the genus Citrus which are citrus fruits, in other words Sichuan pepper is a distant cousin of citrus fruits.

Benefits

Cooking and Virtue

Szechuan pepper is renowned for its many health benefits. It is recognized for its soothing and toning effects, but also aphrodisiacs and antioxidants. It is thus used in Chinese medicine as a painkiller. Consuming this berry would also promote transit and digestion, the Chinese regularly use it to fight against stomach aches.

When cooked, Sichuan pepper inevitably adds pep to your dishes. It is used very well with meat, poultry, fish but also and quite simply with rice or legumes. It will go very well with foie gras, chocolate and even sorbets!

Origins

A long journey

Sichuan Bay has been cultivated since ancient times in the province of the same name in central China. It was long considered virtuous with analgesic and mystical properties because the religious used it as an offering.

It was Marco Polo who introduced it in the 13th century in Europe. When it was introduced, it met with great success with the gastronomy of the Doges of Venice. But it fell into oblivion until the end of the 20th century in Europe, until chefs brought it up to date and made dishes of excellence with this berry.