Spice
Zanthoxylum bungeanum
A tier
Zanthoxylum bungeanum is the primary red Sichuan pepper species—dried husks that numb and tingle (ma) rather than pure chilli burn, with citrus-wood aroma essential to mapo tofu and mala hotpot. Seeds are discarded; the split husk is the spice. Toast lightly before grinding. The botanical core of classic red hua jiao.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
HotpotMalaOil InfusionToast Grind
Traits
CitrusCitrus WoodHusk SpiceNumbingRed Hua JiaoSpecies Core
History
CN
Sichuan and wider Chinese cookery used Zanthoxylum husks as a defining spice.
Botanical science later fixed Z. bungeanum among prickly ashes.
CN
Dried red Sichuan pepper became a major Chinese spice trade item.
Global mala cuisine spread Z. bungeanum demand worldwide.