Sichuan pepper Puns

I had some leftover mapo tofu today and it wasn’t as numbing as when I cooked it

Anybody know any Chinese restaurants in CT that have three pepper chicken on the menu? Used to have it all the time in nyc but it doesn’t seem as common around here

I've been a long-time fan of anything spicy and I regularly put Carolina Reaper flakes on my food. Recently I discovered Sichuan peppercorns - they're not at all related to black pepper or chili pepper and aren't spicy, but instead are a spice with a slight citrusy taste that causes a tingling/numbing sensation.

https://preview.redd.it/236a7dfuodo71.jpg?width=980&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67c0e76184170b508fdcd0203b307787237533ca

I learned that they're a key ingredient in Chinese Five Spice Powder and also compliment spicy (capsaicin-based) food well thanks to a simultaneous burning/numbing effect known in Chinese as málà which makes the heat more tolerable.

Anyways, I ordered some Sichuan peppercorns online and decided to mix them with Carolina Reaper power. It was a cool experience that allowed me to experience superhot food in a new way without just seeking hotter peppers.

Anyone else experiment with superhot peppers + Sichuan peppercorns?

I made gong bao chicken with red sichuan peppercorns and while it tasted good overall, I didnt get much of a numbing feeling; it was very floral tasting with a sharp acidic(?) aftertaste. Is this normal?

These aren’t related to black pepper or chili pepper, and only the dried husk is consumed. Obviously, these are a staple in Sichuan cuisine, and in Chinese 5-spice blend. It has a slightly citrus flavor reminiscent of bergamot to my palate.

The interesting part is that it produces a tingling, numbing sensation in the mouth when eaten.

In Chinese herbal medicine, this is thought to also have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and is used for toothaches (obviously) as well as stomach and digestive tract pains.

The possibilities for uses as spell-jar ingredients come quickly to mind. The numbing properties could apply to pain relief charms. But also numbing one’s feelings about a particular issue, say to help oneself get past a broken heart. So many ideas!

Has anyone worked with this, or have any thoughts about other applications? I’m really excited to add this to my herb collection.

I was at my local Asian supermarket and saw this bottle of almost colorless oil that is apparently Sichuan pepper oil. I tasted a tiny dab of it, and the numbing/tingling is way more intense than I’d expected. It’s so much that I can’t imagine using it as a seasoning/finishing oil the way you do with toasted sesame oil or something. It seems like something you’d use more like an extract. The flavor was so overwhelming when I dripped some on something I was eating as a snack... it was almost like a cleaning chemical smell/taste!

Anybody know what you’re supposed to do with this stuff? I’ve tried using the peppercorns in the past for some stuff here and there, but this blows that away.

Google isn't helping. Seems that no research has been done yet. Curious to hear if any any of you continued having chili oil during your pregnancy and had any issues. I just love that stuff and seem to be craving it a lot more lately, but can't find clear information.

Hiya, I'm back home in England having nostalgia cravings for sichuan instant pot noodle. Does anyone know the brand that was quite a large pot about 6rmb with a sichuan pepper in a sachet inside? I believe it was purple. Thx for any help in advance.

Anyone tried that?

Edit: thanks y'all imma buy me an extra pepper mill now haha

I'll be following this recipe, sent by a family member of a friend:

Here's the recipe for the chili oil.

2 shallots chopped

1 Tbsp toasted Sichuan peppercorns

1 cup oil

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp Toban Djan (Chinese chili bean sauce)

1/2 cup pepper flakes

1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

1 pinch Chinese five spice

1 tsp msg

I don't mind buying Toban-Djan (though I'd need to find uses for it later, but read gochujang is quite different) and Sichuan peppercorns, but considering I don't make chinese food at all, but make a lot of korean, I was wondering if using gochugaru instead of sichuan pepper flakes would make much of a difference.