What Is Sansho Pepper? Sansho vs. Szechuan Peppercorns

Sansho pepper, known as kona-zanshō in Japanese, is a spice used in Korean and Japanese cuisine. It comes from the peppercorns of the Japanese pepper plant (Zanthoxylum piperitum), also known as the Japanese prickly ash.

You can buy dried green sansho peppercorns whole or as a powder. Chefs and home cooks add sansho leaves, known as kinome, to soups and other dishes as a garnish.

Both sansho and Szechuan peppers (also spelled Sichuan pepper) have a tingly heat. But there are some key differences:

• Origins: Sansho pepper is from Japan, while Szechuan peppercorns are Chinese.
• Color: Sansho peppercorns are green. When ground, they have a greenish-grayish color. Although you can occasionally find green Szechuan peppercorns, markets usually sell red varieties.
• Flavor: Sansho pepper has a strong citrus flavor, reminiscent of yuzu or grapefruit. Szechuan peppercorns have a more floral flavor.
• Spice: Sansho peppercorns are milder than spicy Szechuan peppercorns. Szechuan peppercorns also have a more pronounced numbing effect in the mouth.

In Japan, chefs and home cooks use sansho pepper similarly to how their Western counterparts use black pepper. The pepper is one component, along with red chili peppers, of the popular spice blend shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice).

Use sansho peppers to season kabayaki-unagi (boiled eel), yakitori, or any dish that could use a bit of citrusy heat.

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