What is the ingredient that gives a sichuan (szechuan) hot pot the mouth numbing experience?
I'm curious if it is from the Sichuan peppercorns.
Best Answer
Depending where you live it can be hard to get hold of useful Szechuan pepper. What you want is just the outer shell of fruit, not the contents
Many governments force importers from China to use high heat to sterilise these on import, and most of the active ingredients seems to get whacked during this process
Find the most "Chinese" shop you can, and buy packets that look like they where sealed in China (No local language print or contact detail, only Chinese characters). These hopefully haven't been heat treated and will still be good. Keep it airtight until needed
Sometimes it's labelled "Red Prickly Ash" or "Prickly Ash", or look for this on the label ??
To use, lightly dry roast the whole shells and grind into a powder. Then measure the fresh ground powder to match the recipe. It is only a subtle effect compared to Kava or Kawakawa and I think it needs lots of chilli too taste great
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Quick Answer about "What is the ingredient that gives a sichuan (szechuan) hot pot the mouth numbing experience?"
When you eat chillies, capsaicin induces a burning sensation known in Chinese as là. Sichuan peppercorns produce a phenomenon called paraesthesia, in which the lips and tongue feel as though they are vibrating and go vaguely numb – known as má.Why does Sichuan pepper tingle?
Sichuan peppercorns operate in a similar way. A compound found in Sichuan peppercorns called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, like capsaicin, binds to receptors in your tongue, convincing your brain of a \u201ctingly\u201d sensation.What is numbing sauce?
Mala is a spicy and numbing seasoning made from Sichuan peppercorn and chilli. Most commonly, mala is made into a sauce (\u9ebb\u8fa3\u91ac m\xe1l\xe0ji\xe0ng) by simmering it in oil and other spices.What is a numbing pot?
In the humid weather of China's Sichuan province, locals know how to deal: a round of hot pot that simultaneously burns and numbs the tongue. This synergistic flavor sensation is known as mala, a trademark of Sichuan cuisine that marries the capsaicin of chile peppers with the numbing quality of Sichuan peppercorns.What is Sichuan made of?
Typically a vegetarian noodle dish primarily made with brassica juncea, vinegar, hot oil, and soy sauce. It has different flavors such as sour, sweet, fragrant, spicy and salty.MOUTH-NUMBING Sichuan Hot Pot in Taipei, Taiwan (Day 9)
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