The
Spice Index
CULTIVATION
CULINARY USE
MEDICINAL AND OTHER USE
Anise pepper is the fruit of the tree of
Sold whole or ground, Szechuan pep
The ground bark of the plant is an old
the prickly ash family. The rust-red
per is much used in Chinese cookery,
fashioned remedy for toothache in the
berries contain bitter black seeds that are
especially with chicken and duck. It is
USA. Both bark and berries are stimu
usually removed before the spice is sold.
one of the spices in Chinese five spice
lants and they are used in traditional
powder, and it is used in Japanese seven-f1avour seasoning mix. The
medicines and herbal cures to purify
AROMA AND FLAVOUR
The bouquet is pungent, with a hint of
leaves are dried and ground to make
anti-rheumatic.
citrus.
sansho, aJapanese spice (see below).
Dry-frying
brings
out
the
the blood, promote digestion and as an
flavour, which is pleasantly peppery.
Pink Peppercorns Schinus terebinthifoLius
BOTANICAL NAME: F.\MILY NAME:
FR.
Piperaceae
jJoiUTe rose;
G.
sr. pimienta rosa;
btassroter PIerrer;
IT.
jujle rosa
These are not true jJejJjJercoms but they haue a pungency associated with that sjJice and they took simiLar in size to peppercoms. CULTIVATION
mixed with other peppercorns in a
Native to South America, pink pepper
clear mill to make an attractive-look
corns are grown in Reunion in the
ing table spice. Pink peppercorns
dried pink peppercorns
Indian Ocean. They are picked when
should not be confused with true pep
recommended that pink peppercorns
ripe and dried or pickled in brine.
pers (black, white and green) for culi
be used in small quantities (for exam
nary use:
interesting
ple, limit the use to twelve to fifteen
AROMA AND FLAVOUR
seasoning ingredien t, bu t they are not
peppercorns in anyone dish) to avoid
they are an
Pink peppercorns do not have a strong
hot pungent seeds to use instead of
any likelihood of adverse reactions
aroma until they are crushed, when
ordinary pepper. They are popular [or
to them.
they give off a faintly sweet-peppery
seasoning fish and used in Mediter
smell. Their flavour is sweet and
ranean cooking.
slightly scented with only a peppery
'When they were
111
vogue and
aftertaste.
added generously to all sorts of dishes,
CULINARY USE
they caused when consumed
Valued for their appearance and once
in quantity. There fore it is
there were reports of the ill effects
the subject of a food fashion trend, dried pink peppercorns
SANSHO
are frequently
Sometimes coujl/singo' caLLed Japanese pepper. ALthough it is not a true
pink
pejJper, this is olle 0/ the fiw sjJices used in Japanese cooking. It is used main()' to counter[atlJl flavours, is usually sjJrillkLed Oil cooked[oods and
peppercorns
is on(y avaiLabLe ground.
in brine
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