Sansho Wintersansho

Also: Japanese mountain pepper, Fagara, flower pepper, Zantoxhylum piperitum, Red Sansho, Winter Sansho

Description:
Sansho, the Japanese mountain pepper, is a close relative of the Szechuan pepper cultivated and tanned in China. The green Sansho pepper is collected wild in the mountainous regions of Japan in the spring, and the red Sansho in the fall.

Sansho has a breathtaking aroma. When crushed, the small fruits give off an intense aroma of tangerine and lemon, similar to Japanese satsuma. It numbs the tongue after a short time. Sansho is mostly used as a table condiment in Japan and is part of the Japanese seven-spice blend Shichimi Togarashi.

In Japan, Sansho is often used to season fatty fish and meat. In addition, it goes very well with Asian noodle soups, stews, raw fish and summer desserts such as sorbets and fruit foams.

Usage:
Use sansho sparingly in terms of quantity. Add only toward the end of preparation.

Famous dishes:
Yakitori

Aroma/Taste:
Intense, tangerine-like aroma with a slightly numbing spiciness.

Harmonizes with:
Ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, chili, seaweed, mint.

Origin:
Japan