It hits the tongue with a light lemony flavor, then brings a tingling sensation — similar to the feeling in your foot when it ‘falls asleep,’ except much more pleasant. Within a few seconds the tingling gives way to a mild numbness … and then some barely-detectable heat.

Behold the Szechuan Peppercorn, which is not a pepper at all.

Also known as the Sichuan Peppercorn or Ma (Mandarin for ‘numb’) it’s an essential ingredient in authentic Szechuan cuisine. It’s also common in Japanese and Tibetan cooking. But to many Americans the Szechuan Peppercorn is truly a foreign flavor, as it was banned for import to the U.S. between 1968 and 2005. The reason? As a member of the Rutaceae family (which also includes Citrus) authorities here believed it could potentially carry Citrus canker virus, which harms crops.

Did you know?  The Szechuan Peppercorn’s botanical name is Zanthoxylum peperitum. If you’ve ever tasted the bark of the ‘Prickly Ash,’ ‘Toothache’ or ‘Tickle Tongue’ tree (botanically known as Zanthoxylum clava herculis) you’ve experienced a similar mouth sensation.

Classic Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp.

There are two popular ways of cooking and serving Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp: the classic (easier to cook) way and the ‘American’ (easier-to-eat) way. The classic method uses whole unpeeled shrimp. This can be a little bit of a chore at the table unless you eat the shell and all. Still, whole shrimp have a more intense shrimp flavor and can make for a fun and visually striking eating experience.

Condiments are rarely served alongside Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp (they aren’t necessary), this simple dipping sauce adds another dimension to this already-complex dish, if only a cooling sensation to go along with the tongue tingle.

Sriracha Mayo Dip
1 cup – Mayonnaise
1/3 cup – Sriracha sauce
1 TB – Fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine ingredients about 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate.

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Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp — Crispy. Tongue-tingling. Fun.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Adam J. Holland

Recipe type: Appetizer or Main

Cuisine: Chinese

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb – Jumbo (20-26 ct.) shrimp, peeled and deveined -or- whole, whiskers and rostrum (sharp point) trimmed
• ½ cup – Cornstarch
• â…› cup – All-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 TB – Kosher salt
• 1 tsp – Szechuan peppercorns, pan toasted for about 1 minute, then ground
• 1 tsp – Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine salt, Szechuan peppercorns and black pepper in a medium-large bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat about an inch of oil to 350F.
3. Combine cornstarch and flour; dredge shrimp in mixture; fry coated shrimp until crisp and shrimp is pink – about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined plate. Toss in spice mixture.
4. Serve atop a cool mixture of fresh cabbage and and chopped cilantro -or- 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves and a thinly sliced Jalapeno or Fresno pepper that have been stir-fried in 1 TB oil for about 2 minutes.

Notes

See different options for serving Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp in step 4 of 'Instructions.'

3.2.2885

 

Read the original on: The Unorthodox Epicure