Description
🚚 The fastest delivery time : 2-day delivery.
🐝 Supplier / Origin : Located in Sheung Wan, Yuen Hing Spice Company sells a wide variety of wholesale exotic spices, herbs, seasoning powders and cooking oils in a cozy alley shop.
🔖 Certification :
🌱 Supplier introduction :
YUAN HENG SPICE COMPANY offers premium spices and seasonings, sourced from fresh ingredients to ensure rich flavors, perfect for enhancing any dish.
餸您健康是本地一個有特色的網上買餸平台，與超過30個本地農場及進口商合作，提供超過1,500種貨品，包括蔬果、肉類、海鮮水產、家禽雞蛋等。Healthy Express is a unique local farm online shopping platform. It cooperates with more than 30 local farms and importers to provide more than 1,500 Products.
🛍 Product Information :
Medicinal Effects of Sichuan Peppercorn (Zanthoxylum)
Sichuan peppercorn (Zanthoxylum bungeanum), a classic example of "food as medicine" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is warm in nature, pungent in flavor, and enters the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians, with mild toxicity. First documented in the Book of Songs, it was historically used for warding off evil and rituals before becoming a culinary and medicinal staple. Its key active compounds include volatile oils (e.g., limonene, linalool, geraniol), alkaloids, and amides, supported by modern pharmacology for antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Below are the primary medicinal benefits, drawn from TCM classics and contemporary studies:
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Warming and Pain-RelievingSichuan peppercorn warms the channels, disperses cold, and alleviates pain from cold evils, such as abdominal cold pain, joint pain, dysmenorrhea, or rheumatic arthritis.
- Clinical Use: For spleen-stomach deficiency cold causing abdominal pain and vomiting; combined with dried ginger and ginseng in Da Jian Zhong Tang.
- Modern Research: Volatile oils inhibit smooth muscle spasms and promote vasodilation for pain relief.
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Warming the Spleen and Stopping DiarrheaIt warms the middle, tonifies the spleen, and checks diarrhea, suitable for spleen-stomach deficiency cold leading to diarrhea, vomiting, or poor appetite.
- Clinical Use: Paired with atractylodes for dampness-obstructing diarrhea; promotes salivation to boost appetite.
- Modern Research: Decoctions inhibit gastrointestinal propulsion in mice and counteract senna-induced diarrhea.
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Killing Parasites and Relieving ItchingIt has potent insecticidal and detoxifying properties, used for ascariasis abdominal pain, pruritus vulvae, or eczema.
- Clinical Use: Decoction for mouth rinsing to relieve toothache or external itching; internally with mume for anthelmintic effects.
- Modern Research: Volatile oils strongly inhibit Gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) and intestinal pathogens.
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Tonifying Yang and Benefiting the KidneysIt warms and supplements kidney yang, supporting yang qi, for symptoms like night sweats, premature graying, or underdeveloped reproductive glands.
- Clinical Use: Long-term use strengthens teeth, blackens hair, brightens eyes, and promotes longevity (as per Compendium of Materia Medica).
- Modern Research: Promotes metabolic and reproductive gland development.
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Other Effects
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Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory: Inhibits various bacteria, prevents infections; antioxidant and free radical scavenging.
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Hypotensive and Diuretic: Intravenous injection rapidly lowers blood pressure; small doses mildly diuretic.
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Dispelling Cold and Activating Blood: Foot soaks promote circulation and relieve athlete's foot; tea with jujube, ginger, and honey tonifies blood, prevents constipation.
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Adjunctive Therapy: Used in schistosomiasis to improve appetite and reduce liver/spleen enlargement.
🥘 Recipe：
Sichuan peppercorn (Zanthoxylum bungeanum), also known as Chinese prickly ash, is a signature spice in Sichuan cuisine, celebrated for its unique numbing-spicy sensation (not traditional heat) and citrusy, woody-fruity aroma. Its reddish-brown or green husks are used whole, coarsely ground, or finely ground, enhancing Chinese, Southeast Asian, and some Western dishes. Below are its primary culinary applications:
Stir-Fries and Hot Dishes
Sichuan peppercorn is a cornerstone of Sichuan stir-fries, delivering numbing heat and fragrance:
Mapo Tofu: Ground or whole peppercorns are fried with dried chilies and doubanjiang, adding a numbing-spicy flavor that complements tofu’s softness.
Spicy Chicken: Whole peppercorns are stir-fried with Erjingtiao chilies, infusing chicken with intense numbing aroma and spice.
Dry-Fried Dishes: In dry-fried green beans, coarsely ground peppercorns and chilies create a smoky, tingling flavor.
Hotpot and Soups
Sichuan peppercorn adds its signature numbing heat to hotpot and soups:
Sichuan Hotpot: Whole peppercorns are simmered with dried chilies, star anise, and cassia bark for a fiery, numbing broth ideal for meats and vegetables.
Poached Dishes: In boiled fish or beef (shuizhu), peppercorns are sprinkled on top and doused with hot oil to release tingling aroma.
Nourishing Soups: A small amount in lamb or beef soup, paired with ginger and goji berries, adds warmth and fragrance.
Braised Dishes and Marinades
Sichuan peppercorn is key in braising and marinating:
Braised Foods: Whole peppercorns are added to braised beef, eggs, or tofu with star anise and cassia bark, enhancing aroma and numbing sensation.
Marinades: Coarsely ground peppercorns marinate chicken wings or steaks with soy sauce and garlic for a numbing kick.
Grilling: Peppercorn powder is sprinkled on skewers or grilled fish, adding numbing-citrusy notes.
Chili Oil and Seasonings
Sichuan peppercorn is essential for chili oil and seasoning blends:
Sichuan Red Oil: Peppercorns are infused in hot oil with Erjingtiao chilies, used for noodles, cold dishes, or dipping sauces.
Dry Dips: Ground peppercorns are mixed with chili powder and sesame for hotpot or BBQ dips, adding numbing depth.
Seasoning Sprinkle: Finely ground peppercorns enhance fried chicken, fries, or cold salads.
Creative Applications
Sichuan peppercorn’s unique tingling effect inspires innovative dishes:
Desserts: A pinch of ground peppercorns in chocolate mousse or citrus cakes adds a surprising numbing note.
Beverages: Added to hot tea or cocktails with honey or lemon for a warm, tingling twist.
Sauces: Incorporated into Western black pepper sauce or salad dressings for added complexity.
Tips and Considerations
Portion Control: Sichuan peppercorn’s numbing effect is potent; use 1-2 tsp whole or 1/2 tsp ground per dish to avoid overwhelming the palate.
Whole vs. Ground: Whole peppercorns suit slow-cooking or oil infusion for mild aroma; coarse or fine ground is ideal for stir-fries or sprinkling, with fresh grinding maximizing flavor.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to preserve numbing aroma.
Pairings: Combines well with dried chilies, doubanjiang, garlic, ginger, or soy sauce to balance its numbing heat and enhance citrusy notes.
Sichuan peppercorn’s distinctive numbing-spicy and fragrant profile makes it a soulful spice in Sichuan and beyond, elevating stir-fries, hotpot, seasonings, and creative dishes with bold flavor.
🔅Notes:
Usage Precautions
- Warm and drying in nature; contraindicated in yin deficiency with fire excess or stomach heat; caution in pregnancy, infants, and gastric ulcers.
- Dosage: 3-10 g internally, appropriate externally; stir-fry to reduce toxicity.
- Consult a physician before use to avoid overdose causing respiratory paralysis or diarrhea.
Sichuan peppercorn is not just a kitchen spice but a TCM warming tonic, enhancing vitality and preventing illness when used appropriately.
