I credit most knowledge I have about Sichuan cuisine to my college roommate Cindy. Originally from Sichuan, Cindy had to evacuate her hometown due to the great Sichuan earthquake in 2008. I have not met a lot of people who have lost their homes, but it didn’t stop Cindy from opening her apartment to me, an international student finding her way around Northern China. Cindy’s tolerance for spiciness exceeded her kindness and she added chilli to everything. To this day, I can still see her at the dining table, scooping mounds of chilli oil onto her food while fanning her mouth and wiping her face as she relished the flavours of the most intense chilis.

This is yet another recipe from the cookbook China Moon by Barbora Tropp, my current favourite food heroine who introduced Chinese cuisine to North America. According to an interview, peppercorn salt was one of the condiments Barbara craved during the last few months of her life battling cancer. I am ever so grateful to discover her work during this period of time. Such is the power of food to bring back memories of adventure in china — eating coloured dumplings in famous dumpling houses, and discovering hole-in-the-wall baozi shops that I would revisit if I were to visit Northern China again.

This peppercorn salt is very flavourful, giving off a wonderful floral fragrance during toasting. Kosher salt is the recommended salt for this recipe (Diamond Kosher Salt is the best brand) as sea salt is too salty and table salt too acrid. You want a balance between the peppercorns and the salt. I sprinkle it over my Chinese dishes, steamed vegetables or use as a substitute for salt & pepper.

Aim for a toasted light-brown here

Roasted Sichuan Peppercorn Salt

Ingredients

Makes 1/2 cup peppercorn salt
1/4 cup Sichuan peppercorns, picked through to remove stalks and debris*
1/2 cup kosher salt

Instructions

In a medium skillet, combine the peppercorns, salt and toast over medium heat. Stir often until the salt turns from white into a light brown. Around 5 minutes. The mixture will give off smoke and the fragrance from the peppercorns will be intense. Do not let the mixture burn.

Let cool, transfer the mixture to a spice grinder or food processor and grind until fine. Sift to remove any husks. Store in a clean airtight jar or bottle.

Note* Sichuan (or Szechwan) peppercorns are grown in China and not a substitute for normal peppercorns that go into the pepper grinder.