Some 60,000-year-old wild Sichuan pepper seeds unearthed at the Mengxihe Site in Ziyang, Sichuan province, have helped shed light on Paleolithic human diets that included a spicy and numbing flavor.

Sichuan pepper is sold as whole berries or a ground powder. Try to buy the freshest berries you can, as they quickly lose their pungency.

Hot pepper, an important flavoring in Sichuan cuisine, was introduced into China only 200 to 300 years ago. During the period of the Three Kingdoms, the kingdom of Shu was located in Sichuan.

You may think from the name that chin jiew gai – Sichuan pepper chicken – is a Sichuan dish, but it’s actually a dish in Chiu Chow (Teochew) cuisine. The spice is quite unusual for Chiu Chow ...

Put the Sichuan peppercorns in a small ... If using the stalk of green peppercorns, place it in the oil. Cook it briefly, just long enough to lightly scorch the the pepeprcorns.