What is Sansho (Japanese pepper)?
It is a spice featuring a refreshing scent of citrus fruits and an exciting spicy tingling at tongue. It is a particularly versatile spice with different parts of the plant available to chefs during every stage of growth. The young buds can be picked from spring through autumn while the tree still has leaves. The flower goes exceptionally well with grilled fish. After drop of blossms, the lime green immature berry can be used for dishes boiled in soy sauce, cooked with dried young sardines, or pickled. The red mature berry is dried and ground into fragrant powder.
What to use with?
Sansho is commonly used to flavor freshwater broiled eels (unagi) lightly sauced in Japan. It is also suitable for grilled meat, fried chicken, fried meals, hot pot, miso soup and more!