Sichuan Peppercorn

You can put kungpao sauce on everything from eel to venison to tofu, but the one of the quickest and most satisfying canvases is shrimp.

Mala dry pot may be hot pot’s soupless cousin, but don’t mistake this lack of soup for lack of flavor. 

These savory, saucy mushrooms are not only an appetizer, but makes a perfect noodle topping too.

Shichimi togarashi is a seven-spice blend that can season soups, noodles, grilled foods, rice, or salads.

Little pot rice noodles are so named because each serving is traditionally made to order in small individual copper pots, and the dish is beloved because it perfectly embodies the spicy and sour flavor profiles of Yunnan. 

This easy-to-savor chile oil is traditionally made with a specific chile, èr jīngtiáo.

Dan dan noodles are a popular Sichuan street snack, named after the bamboo shoulder pole used to carry it.

Fish fragrant sauce doesn’t actually have any fish in it, but the sweet, sour, and spicy elements in the sauce are traditionally used to cook Sichuan fish dishes, and it gives this dish its name.

Some people might be afraid of cooking chicken hearts, but they’re not that much different from any cut of dark chicken meat. These morsels of muscle are perfect for grilling: lean, flavorful, with a perfect bouncy bite.

For dense hand-pulled noodles, you’re going to want the sauce to be saltier and spicier, balancing out the thick wheat noodles with extra aromatics for depth of flavor.

This recipe moves fast—stay on top of it by prepping and lining up your ingredients before you start cooking.

This dumpling combines lamb with delicate green summer squash, which brings a surprising freshness to the filling.

Shelled raw peanuts are easy to find at Asian markets, health food stores, and other specialty food stores.

This version is made with up to eight spices. It’s worth using them all for the fullest flavor.

Take crispy chickpeas to the extreme with this recipe of battered, fried garbanzos spiked with Thai basil, Sichuan peppercorns, and a host of fragrant spices including cumin and five-spice powder.

There are only a few ingredients in this party-friendly pomegranate-rum punch.

The homemade Sichuan chili paste and chili oil yield more than you need for this cold ramen recipe, but they will keep for weeks and make for great all-purpose condiments. Or you can just make this dish over and over.

These pillowy steamed buns are delicious in all the same ways as Parker House rolls, with the sweet flavor of cornmeal.

Crunchy shrimp (thanks for the help, cornstarch!) gets its zesty, floral heat from Sichuan peppercorns. It's hard to believe that a main course this complex comes together so quickly. We eat these guys shells and all, but you can sub in peeled shrimp instead.