Red Sichuan Pepper Super

Red Sichuan Pepper is hua jiao in Chinese, or “flower pepper.” Despite its name, it isn’t related to black pepper or chili pepper; it’s the outer pod of berries in the prickly ash family. Its distinct flavor is woody, pungent and slightly citrusy from a unique essential oil. It creates a tingly sensation on the palate, and its effect, combined with the heat of chilis, is known as ma la in Sichuan cooking — “numbing and spicy.”