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, Bang Bang 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.
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
Edyta Beszczynska says
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 🙂
Wei @ Red House Spice says
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!
Sean says
Mine taste extremely soapy. Is this normal?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Sean! Sichuan pepper shouldn’t taste soapy at all.
Michael Anderson says
How do you get all the black seeds out?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
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.
Judy says
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.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You are welcome Judy! Enjoy your new cooking experience with Sichuan pepper.
andre says
hi… Good day…is this also present in chili garlic sauce? one used in chinese fast food… (Mandarin) to be exact.. thanks…
Wei @ Red House Spice says
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.
Tavis says
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.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You are welcome Tavis!
Paul says
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?
Wei Guo says
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.
Paul says
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?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
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!
Meenakshi says
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.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
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!
Will says
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?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
They will last for sure. Just remember to leave the grinder in a dry place.
Jake says
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.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Jake! Thank you for sharing your interesting experience. Enjoy the tasty world of Sichuan pepper!
Bill Fenske says
Where can I purchase these peppercorns?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
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.
Bill says
Thank you