If you’re looking for the best aroma and numbing sensation from Sichuan pepper, grind your own powder! It’s quick, easy and tastes so much better.
Sichuan pepper (Huā Jiāo, 花椒, aka Szechuan pepper or Chinese pepper) is one of the most important spices used in the Chinese kitchen. It has a powerful aroma and creates a unique numbing sensation in your mouth. Apart from being used as whole for stir-fries, braised dishes & hot pot, ground Sichuan pepper plays an important role in seasoning Chinese delicacies.
The fresher the better
For optimal taste, it’s always best to use freshly ground Sichuan pepper, particularly when you prepare “Málà/麻辣” dishes that demand a strong numbing effect. Shop-bought Sichuan pepper powder may seem convenient but the flavour is often compromised. I routinely grind my own powder as it’s quick, easy and tastes so much better.
A common mistake
Before we get into the recipe, let me talk about a common mistake people make when it comes to grinding Sichuan peppercorns. One of my friends once complained: “My ground Sichuan pepper tastes like sand. So gritty!” Later I found out that she put Sichuan peppercorns straight into her regular pepper mill to grind over her food. “You shouldn’t have treated it as black pepper.” I said.
Although sharing the word “pepper” in their names, Sichuan pepper is different from black pepper in every way. They are not botanically related. They don’t taste similar. Also, they need to be ground in different ways. The method my friend used doesn’t bring out the best flavour and results in a gritty, sandy texture which could ruin a delicious dish.
Follow 4 steps to grind Sichuan pepper
Now let me explain how to grind it properly. It only takes a few minutes to make your own Sichuan pepper powder. But make sure you follow all the steps.
Step 1: Discard the black seeds
Before you start grinding, make sure you look through the peppercorns and discard any black seeds that you find.
Unlike black/white pepper, only the open husks of Sichuan pepper is used in food. The black seeds (found loose in the package or still inside the husks) are hard and tasteless thus need to be removed. You wouldn’t find many of them when purchasing good quality Sichuan pepper. It could be an issue with poor quality ones.
Step 2: Dry roast without oil
Place Sichuan peppercorns in a cold frying pan. Roast over medium-low heat. Shake the pan back and forward occasionally. Look out for the signs of readiness:
- They start to release the aroma.
- They look a little oily on the surface
Remove them from the hot pan immediately. Overcooking will result in a bitter taste.
Step 3: Let cool then crush
Leave the roasted peppercorns to cool before you grind them. I use my mortar and pestle to do the job. After the roasting and cooling process, the peppercorns become brittle thus very easy to grind. You may also use an electric grinder if you wish.
Step 4: Sift to remove gritty bits
Finally, you need to sift the crushed pepper through a fine-mesh sieve. This is to remove the gritty, sandy bits (from the black seeds and/or the yellow inner parts of the husks). I strongly advise you not to skip this step.
Make a small batch at a time
Sichuan pepper’s aroma and numbing effect decrease over time. Particularly after grinding, it loses its best taste pretty quickly. I suggest you only grind a small amount at a time.
Keep freshly ground Sichuan pepper in airtight containers away from heat & direct sunlight. Use it within two weeks for optimal taste.
Many delicious ways to use it
There are many ways to enjoy the unique taste of ground Sichuan pepper. Here is a list of examples:
- Mix it into the aromatic dressing for Mouth-Watering Chicken;
- Sprinkle it over the addictive Mapo Tofu
- Add it to the irresistible Chongqing Noodles & Dan Dan Noodles
- Brush it over the dough for comforting Scallion Pancakes
- Stir in the delicious Dumpling Fillings
Want to learn more about Sichuan pepper?
I guess some of you might like to know more about this unique Chinese spice. If this is the case, please check out my Complete Guide to Sichuan Pepper which includes answers to over 20 FAQs. Also, you are always welcome to add your questions to the list. I’m very happy to help!
How to grind Sichuan peppercorn
Ingredients
- Whole Sichuan peppercorns
Instructions
- Look through the peppercorns. Discard all the black seeds.
- Toast the peppercorns on low heat until they are fragrant.
- Transfer to a mortar or a spice grinder. Grind when they are completely cool.
- Sift with a sieve. Use the fine powder for recipes.
Thank you for visiting my blog and hope you come back to discover more scrumptious Chinese recipes.
N.B. This post has been updated on the 15th Dec 2019.
Hi Wei, thank you for this helpful article! I recently started using szechuan peppercorns and enjoy their unique flavor. I just found a tiny dried snail shell in my bag of peppercorns and was wondering if you think that comprises the quality of the peppercorns. Thanks for your help!
I’m not 100% sure as I don’t know exactly how and when the shell went into the bag. But I assume the peppercorn are still ok to be used.
Thank you for the information presented! I am just wondering, if I am to be seasoning a chicken that benefits from the taste and sensation of the peppercorn, do I add the ground peppercorn before or after the cooking process? From what I’ve read, it seems to be after since before would burn the already toasted husks. Correct me if I’m wrong!
Yes Jeff, add ground Sichuan pepper at the end, like how you season Mapo tofu. That said, it can also be used in a marinade too, so that’s before cooking (but the numbing sensation won’t be as noticeable this way).
Very helpful. I made the same mistake by not knowing you need to sieve.
Very happy to know you find my post useful!
Hi, thank you so much for these tips on grinding Sichuan peppercorns. While I have toasted and ground my peppercorns for many years, I never thought to sift them. It’s a huge improvement! The couple of recipes I’ve made since learning this trick have been delicious, and “grit” free! Thank you!
My pleasure Bill! Sometimes a small adjustment can make a big change in taste. Glad you find my post helpful!
I have a package of “dried szchuan pepper” from golden lion brand. Q1: do I skip the pan toasting since they are already dried?
Q2: the back of the package says to soak and wash before use. ?? I’m thinking this may just be a standard food labeling requirement, but not sure?
Hi! Dried Sichuan pepper doesn’t mean it’s already been toasted (There are fresh Sichuan pepper too). The instruction on the package doesn’t make any sense. They shouldn’t to be soaked or washed. If you’re interested, read my complete guide on Sichuan pepper to learn more about this spice.
Thank you so much for your details for preparing Sichuan peppercorns! My wife and I have (for over 40 years!) have been grinding the black seeds and throwing out the outer shells (the good part!). We’ll finally be able to make mapao dofu correctly, after all these years! Thanks for helping to set us straight!
My pleasure David! It can be very confusing as other peppercorn uses the seeds. Very happy to know my post is helpful to you. Happy cooking!
You said -Ground Sichuan pepper shouldn’t have sand like texture. When grinding, please pay attention to two important steps that I mentioned in the recipe above: 1. Discard all the black seeds inside the husks if you find any. 2. After grinding, make sure you sift it with a sieve and use only the fine power which has gone through the sieve. I hope this is helpful to you.
You also said-This is to remove the gritty, sandy bits (from the black seeds and/or the yellow inner parts of the husks)“.
So when grinding, does not the husk become ground as well and go through the sieve? If something like sand comes from grinding, doesn’t the husk become sand like as well?
Does the sand go through the sieve, husks, or both?
Hi Jerry! What goes through the sieve is the powdery part. As I’ve explained in the post, the outer part of the husks will easily turn into fine powder, but the yellow inner part of the husks won’t go though the sieve and need to be removed.
Hi Wei,
Thank you so much for sharing how to DIY Sichuan peppercorn powder. There’s one question that I wanted to clarify with you: how long roughly should I stir the peppercorn in the pan? I can’t tell by the signs of readiness you suggested because the moment I put them in the pan, they smell so aromatic already.
Thanks a lot!!!
Hi Meli! As I mentioned in the post, another sign of readiness is that the peppercorn will look a little oily on the surface. Keep a close eye on them. You will see the change.
Thanks for these instructions, Wei. My wife and I have tried using Szechuan peppercorns in the past, and were disappointed by the grittiness. Following your instructions, we ended up with much better results. We had a good supply of peppercorns, but they were low quality; there were lots of seeds and twigs. Removing them was time consuming, but I think the result was worth it.
The first dish I tried the ground peppercorns in was part of a dry rub for skinless chicken breasts. They were a hit! Today I used them as seasoning for a pasta sauce that I then used to make lasagna. Not quite traditional, but delicious!
Hi Bruce! So happy to know my post has helped you! I like the sound of your creative use of Sichuan pepper. I’ll give it a try on my lasagna!
Hi Wei,
Thanks for the post. Is there any brand that can be found in the UK that sells good quality Sichuan peppercorns that you recommend?
I don’t have any particular brand/shop in mind to recommend. I always purchase them in China then bring back to the UK. Have a look at my post “Sichuan Pepper (花椒): Your Questions Answered” which includes tips on identifying good quality Sichuan pepper.
Hi Wei,
Thanks for this post. It was very informative and thorough. I appreciated it very much. Can’t wait to try this. I’m Chinese but I didn’t use to eat spicy. In the last few years I started eating spicy Asian food and it opened a whole new world of dishes and spices for me. Looking forward to reading more posts!
You are welcome Teresa! Have a good time exploring the world of spices!
Hi! Wei – got Soeos Premium peppercorns… didn’t find any black seeds – hope I followed the toast-grind-sieve directions correctly – got about 2 teaspoons of product from about 1/3-1/2 cup of peppercorns…is this expected yield? I didn’t throw away what was leftover… seems like such a waste… will they be good for anything? I’ve never used this before but I am in love with the taste – fragrance – and tingle of this stuff – can’t wait to cook something…yes, I bit a pod to see what it was like! AMAZING! Made me just laugh ? until the numbness wore off…what a fun spice!
Lynn in Aiken SC USA
Hi Lynn! Glad to know you like this new spice. A lot of exciting dishes to discover! The leftover is, in fact, no use in dishes as it’s a bit sandy & gritty. You probably could grind the leftover once again then go through the sieve to get a little more powder. When using ground Sichuan pepper, normally you don’t need a large quantity.
I put the Sichuan peppercorns in a storage bat and roll them just enough to free up the Black seeds then I sift the seeds out and put the course husks in my Pepper grinder
You say you advise to sieve the mortared peppercorn but you’ never say why? What happens ?
Hi Mark. I did explain it clearly in my post: “You need to sift the crushed pepper through a fine-mesh sieve. This is to remove the gritty, sandy bits (from the black seeds and/or the yellow inner parts of the husks)“
I bought black Sichuan peppercorns from an Asian import store and they have a sticker that says “warning, wash all spices thoroughly before consumption.”
My question is, how do I wash them?
Hi Monica! I’ve never heard of “black” Sichuan peppercorns and it sounds very strange to wash them. Could you please email me photos of the peppercorns and its package? I’d like to see what exactly you’ve got. My email address: wei@redhousespice.com
Well, it explains a lot… Few weeks ago I was using a recipe which called for sichuan pepper. I used it for the first time. Bought little red peppercorns and ground them in the mortar and added to the dish. It was an unpleasant feeling like eating sand :-/ I will make your hot and sour glass noodle soup and I will prepare sichuan pepper like you described above. Thank you 🙂
My pleasure Edyta! Unlike black/white peppercorn, Sichuan peppercorn needs to be ground in a particular way. Wish you a great time making hot & sour glass noodle soup!
Mine taste extremely soapy. Is this normal?
Hi Sean! Sichuan pepper shouldn’t taste soapy at all.
How do you get all the black seeds out?
Shop bought Sichuan peppercorn shouldn’t have two many black seeds remaining in the husks. Simply open the husks and remove the seeds by hand if you find any.
Thank you for explaining about Sichuan peppercorns. I had no idea you should remove the black seeds. I just received some from a mail order source and was disappointed there were not MORE seeds. LOL Now I know how to use them.
You are welcome Judy! Enjoy your new cooking experience with Sichuan pepper.
hi… Good day…is this also present in chili garlic sauce? one used in chinese fast food… (Mandarin) to be exact.. thanks…
Sichuan peppercorn is widely used in Chinese cuisine. But I’m not sure what you mean exactly by “Chilli garlic sauce”. Chinese fast food is also a very general concept. So I’m afraid I don’t have a straight answer to your question.
I enjoy the flavour if these so much I know have a pepper grinder dedicated to Szechuan peppercorns on my table, dinner guests beware. Thanks for the article.
You are welcome Tavis!
Hi Wei,
1. Could you tell something about the difference between red en green Sichuan peppercorn?
2. Slightly off-topic: in what way is Sichuan pepper best used to infuse stir fried meat with the typical taste and numbing effect? Like, stir fry the pepper first and then add the meat, or maybe use ground pepper? I noticed I cant turn the heat in the wok too high while stir frying with the (whole) peppercorns, they burn easily. But what if the recipe calls for stir frying the meat on a high temperature?
1. Compare to regular red Sichuan peppercorn, green Sichuan peppercorn (青花椒) has a stronger citrus fragrance and creates a slightly less powerful numbing sensation.
2. If you really want to emphasize the numbing effect, I suggest you add freshly ground Sichuan pepper right before you dish out the stir-fried meat. Sprinkle then give everything a quick stir. Just like how you would cook the famous Mapo Tofu.
Thanks for this useful advice. I’ve been using Sich. peppercorn for a while now, toasting it whenever the recipe called for it, but never before grinding it. I will do that for sure, next time.
Everytime I ground it (before) and used it in relatively royal amounts, the peppercorn left – besides the citrus taste and numbing – also a quite bitter aftertaste. Is this because I didn’t toast is or do I need to look for another brand?
Hi Paul, Sichuan pepper shouldn’t taste overly bitter. The toasting process is to bring out the favour and I don’t think it has anything to do with changing the bitterness.
Please check two things: 1. Is there any black seeds left in the husks? If so, remove them before grinding. 2. Has your peppercorn been stored in an air-tight container? / Has it passed the used-by date? Newly packed Sichuan pepper does taste much better.
The quality of Sichuan pepper vary among brands. Try another one if you wish. Happy cooking!
I used schiuan pepper after crushing in mortar pestle in kung pao chicken but i felt like sand particles while eating it. Is the texture is lime this or i made some mistake in grinding it? Thanks.
Ground Sichuan pepper shouldn’t have sand like texture. When grinding, please pay attention to two important steps that I mentioned in the recipe above: 1. Discard all the black seeds inside the husks if you find any. 2. After grinding, make sure you sift it with a sieve and use only the fine power which has gone through the sieve. I hope this is helpful to you. Happy cooking!
After the peppercorns are toasted and cooled, how long can you leave them in the spice grinder? Do they have to be used within a few days, or do they last a while?
They will last for sure. Just remember to leave the grinder in a dry place.
I tried some Huang Fei Hong peanuts and now I’ve acquired the taste for Sichuan pepper. I noticed the peanuts had whole peppercorn husks, so searched for Sichuan husks and found your article. My first impression was piney notes and citrus, then I noticed the numbing. I actually said it feels like testing a 9 volt battery on my tongue, just like the Wikipedia article states. I also noticed that the flavor other foods is amplified when eaten after Sichuan peppers, as if the Suchuan pepper is supercharging your taste buds.
Hi Jake! Thank you for sharing your interesting experience. Enjoy the tasty world of Sichuan pepper!
Where can I purchase these peppercorns?
They’re available in Chinese/Asian shops. You may also find it on some online shopping platforms. Have a look at my Complete Guide on Sichuan Pepper which explains how to identify good quality Sichuan pepper.
Thank you