Sansho Pepper

Description

Zanthoxylum piperitum is the scientific name of Sansho Pepper, a spice used primarily in Japan on fish and chicken. It has been used almost exclusively throughout Japan, with some use in other Asian countries as well.

Sansho pepper is an interesting spice. It is one of the only spices that has the same name in English as it does in Arabic, Mandarin, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, and that is because it is a spice that is still not widely used, so it hasn’t been incorporated into many of those languages yet. It is also called Japanese pepper, Korean pepper, or chopi.

History of Sansho Pepper

Japanese people have been using Sansho pepper to flavor their food for centuries, with evidence of this spice being used in cooking since 12,500 BCE. Some historians believe this is one of the first spices we know about to have been used in the ancient world. It was at one point a luxury item presented to warlords as a gift, and it was unattainable to less affluent people.

There is a Japanese proverb that translates roughly to, “Although sansho is small, it is peppery” meaning don’t underestimate things, no matter their size. In fact, the berries have been used in Korea as a tool for fishing. The berries are poisonous to fish and so dropping a few berries into the waters of a slow-moving pool of water will yield a few floaters in just moments.

Sansho pepper is also a popular souvenir from Japan. It is sometimes vacuum-sealed in a little plastic container and put on clips, usually to be sold for about $1USD. This spice is also sold in little jars for the sole purpose of being a souvenir for about the same amount of money. It’s funny to think of a spice as a souvenir, but before recently, Sansho pepper was used exclusively in Japanese cooking.

Sasho pepper came to the United States as more Japanese immigrants arrived. There has also been an increased desire for new and exotic flavors in American cuisine, leading to more flavor experimentation and the need to seek out unusual spices.

Sansho Pepper Cultivation

Sansho Pepper is a berry from the prickly ash tree, and it is indigenous to Japan. These trees are notorious for having weak roots and dying easily, so they require a lot of attentive care. The tree blooms during the months of April and May, and only the female trees produce berries. These trees are dioecious, meaning they have a distinctly male or female body. The male trees also produce edible parts, but they are not utilized as much as the female tree, from which we derive the sansho pepper.

The prickly ash tree likes slightly acid to alkaline soil that is moist and well-draining. Lots of direct sunlight, but shade is okay if the tree is growing in an area with a lot of intense sunlight for many hours. They can grow up to 15 feet tall when they have the right growing conditions. This tree not only produces a spice, but also other edible parts that are used in cooking various dishes, making it a useful crop.

Our Sansho Pepper comes from China.

Cooking with Sansho Pepper

Sansho pepper is used frequently in Japanese cuisine as a condiment for grilled eel and on yakitori, which is a grilled chicken skewers dish. It is excellent on fish, but it can also taste good with pork. Lighter meats of any kind can get a boost of flavor from sansho pepper.

For the western palette, you may enjoy Sansho pepper in your steak sauce or a clear dressing, like Italian. Most grilled or roasted vegetables are complimented by the flavor of sansho pepper. It is also delicious on rice or quinoa. The citrusy, peppery flavor has a lot of savory applications. This pepper has been compared to lemon pepper, so anywhere you would use that blend you can use this as well.

A little bit of this spice goes a long way. It is very flavorful, so start small and work your way up to more.

Are Sansho Pepper and Sichuan Peppers the Same?

There is a common misconception that Sansho and Sichuan peppers are the same thing, but they are not. Sansho pepper is related to Sichuan peppercorns, but it has a distinctly more citrusy flavor and is green in color.

What Does Sansho Pepper Taste Like?

Sansho pepper tastes quite citrusy, sort of like grapefruit or lemon, and it is mildly cooling after its spicy bite fades.

Substitutions and Conversions

Some chefs have suggested that you can use sansho pepper and Sichuan peppercorns interchangeably, though sansho pepper is a little more bitey than the Sichuan peppercorns.

Related Blog Posts