Sichuan Green Pepper Oil

OK, admittedly this was a "mystery buy" just because.

The problem being for whatever reason I thought the bottle said Green Chile in my delirium of shopping in a wholesaler's full of ingredients in multiple foreign (to me) languages an a dizzying array of beautiful labels.

Just what on earth do you put this stuff on?

Tried it, it's got amazing flavor layers that startup with pine, go to pepper than burst in your face with multiple citrus. Not just lemon, or lime cause this would be too easy. I mean like ALL the citrus in the world just exploded in your mouth. Theres darn little about it on the internet, just one recipe for fish soup. I'm totally not a fish aficionado so we can rule that ingredient out.

The literature limited as it is says it's from Northern China an can be used on salads.
?? ?? ??
Seriously can't see this being ok on regular iceberg.

Hopefully someone here has run across this before an knows what to do with it? I was guessing maybe a fruit salad, but can't pull any sort of flavor profile together other than melon & maybe cucumber? Which even I know is lame.

HELPS!!!!

It was also a little green criminal for awhile.

It all began in 1968, when the United States Department of Agriculture instituted a blanket ban on citrus from China as possible carriers of citrus canker, a highly contagious bacterial disease that decimates citrus trees (but does not affect humans). The ban included Sichuan pepper, since the Zanthoxylum genus and its numerous edible species of Sichuan pepper are not actually in the pepper family but are a form of citrus. It was thought at the time that not just citrus seedlings or fresh fruit but also the dried seed pod of Sichuan pepper could spread citrus canker.

The ban was little-enforced until 2002. At that time, according to a USDA spokesperson in a 2004 New York Times article, the field manual for inspectors was updated and contraband hua jiao was prioritized. Spice shops and, particularly, ethnic markets were targeted for “interdiction,” as the agency calls it. That meant inspectors not only cracked down at the ports on incoming shipments from China, they cruised the aisles of Asian grocery stores looking for the little numbing spice and yanked it from the shelves.

slate.com...

Then again there is this, which I found super interesting.

Even more than other spices, endowed by evolution with defensive odors and tastes, Sichuan pepper seems designed not to be eaten. Once you get past the thorns, the taste of a fresh or freshly dried berry leaves your mouth, tongue, and lips buzzing and numb for several minutes. It is literally electric: The active ingredient, sanshool, causes a vibration on the lips measured at 50 hertz, the same frequency as the power grid in most parts of the world, according to a 2013 study at University College London.

Now you can't say THAT about most spices! When I tried the oil I didn't notice the numbing thing so much as the continued different but pleasant after tastes that came in waves.

a reply to: Caver78


It's awesome for making hot chili oil. You know that oil you get in a Chinese Rest. that makes your mouth numb? That's it! I always use the red ones though. Not sure of the green. I still think they have the numbing, but not as much.

NOTHING beats habanero.. bells, whistles, Asians, you name it.. That sh*t goes GOOD with everything.. not WHAT were we really talking about?

Not familiar with the stuff myself.

From your description of the flavor, it might make an interesting addition to Pho?

a reply to: Bhadhidar

Had to google Pho, but maybe?
Might work.

The pine taste is really throwing me off, even tho it's not the main event with this oil.

a reply to: seeker1963

Yeah apparently most people are more familiar with the Red Sichuan Pepper cause it's more commonly used.
In my self admitted ignorance I chose the green cause I was hoping it'd be easier to work with an not as three alarm hot.

All this started in an effort to eat less like a teenager an branch out into something healthier.
Since take-out isn't an option an time & energy is limited I decided to go Asian/Korean/Chinese for my first baby-steps
in this adventure.

Have to say my first effort by cooking white sweet potato cubes in Miso broth was stunningly good.
With sautéed Napa cabbage & onion chunks over rice it was a very decent dinner.

I know I'm a total beginner, so don't laugh TOO hard!!!

originally posted by: Caver78
a reply to: seeker1963

Yeah apparently most people are more familiar with the Red Sichuan Pepper cause it's more commonly used.
In my self admitted ignorance I chose the green cause I was hoping it'd be easier to work with an not as three alarm hot.

All this started in an effort to eat less like a teenager an branch out into something healthier.
Since take-out isn't an option an time & energy is limited I decided to go Asian/Korean/Chinese for my first baby-steps
in this adventure.

Have to say my first effort by cooking white sweet potato cubes in Miso broth was stunningly good.
With sautéed Napa cabbage & onion chunks over rice it was a very decent dinner.

I know I'm a total beginner, so don't laugh TOO hard!!!

Not even a chuckle, here. You go!

Not sure if Asian really qualifies as “easy”; quick perhaps, but considering the variety, techniques, and layers of flavor involved,

You must translate ancient Sanskrit in your sleep if you consider Asian cooking “easy”!

I have heard, however that one of the keys to, at least southeastern Asian cooking is

Fish Sauce.

a reply to: Bhadhidar

Not "easy" as in any idiot can duplicate the techniques & complicated flavors.

But do-able, since not everyone in every culture does the complicated stuff. In my addled little mind just like families and Grannies everywhere folks are slamming out very decent food without having trained professionally.

That was more my goal.
Healthier & edible. I'm never gonna be a world class chef, but on the other hand I've never given anyone food poisoning either. From what I know cooking is mostly prepping correctly an not being shy with experimenting with seasonings & techniques available to regular people.

No reason not to be hopeful, right?
Worst case scenario the raccoons will be "vanishing" any proofs that things went badly.
Heheheheheh

a reply to: Caver78


I Wonder what Chinese Street Food Vendors would do with that , on Seafood Maybe ? ........Umm....

The literature limited as it is says it's from Northern China an can be used on salads.

a reply to: Caver78

Might work well with Mustard Greens and Spicy micromix...could even make Kale taste good

At this rate it's going to remain a mystery.
Nine months an the bottle is still in the fridge, altho friends an family have all been treated to a spoonful trying to figure out what??!! besides fish we can do with it.

So far besides marveling over the rolling multiple flavors this oil hits you with...pine, numbness, some cucumber-kinda, lime, heat, it's been pronounced "Interesting" in a shot of vodka.

(facepalm!!!)
Totally not the culinary adventuring I'd had in mind. Frankly I'm still trying to figure out how the inventor of that little cocktail still has a stomach.