Szechuan Peppercorns -- Ideas???

[iprobeattoomuch]

I have a little handful of Szechuan peppercorns (about half the size of a large fist), and I know some recipes don't use much, so I'm hoping for some good ones!

I have an absolutely incredible cookbook called Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen, and so I have a couple recipes for dumplings with Szechuan pepper. But if there are any other suggestions for some interesting dishes with the stuff please let me know! I'll get more if I have to, and Chinatown is my second home, so I'm not put off by any hard to find Asian ingredients, unusual meat, etc.

The recipe search begins.

Thanks!!!

[BeefeaterRocks]

I have a pepper mill just for Szechuan peppercorns, I like to grind some into the broth when I am making fried rice.

[katecm]

David Lebovitz has an orange szechuan peppercorn ice cream. That might be an unusual way to enjoy them. http://www.foodonthebrain.net/2009/03...

[iprobeattoomuch]

Kung pao chicken and mapo tofu sound like absolute winners -- thanks so much! I might try to find good version of the dishes at a Szechuan place before I try cooking them myself.

I might also try the steak, and the popcorn certainly sounds interesting.

Thanks thanks thanks!

[eight_inch_pestle]

In a non-Asian application, they're good mixed in about equal parts with crushed black and white peppercorns for steak au poivre.

Credit, I think, to Roast Chicken and Other Stories. I think he sifts the crushed pepper through a fine sieve.

[Kunegunde]

I always think of my sister, who craves STRONG flavors when she's premenstrual, when I make this popcorn: Layer already-popped plain popcorn in a glass dish, sprinkling each layer with a combination of grated smoked cheddar cheese, smoked paprika, chili oil, toasted ground Sichuan pepper and extra-fine salt. Microwave for about a minute, break up cheesy clumps, and enjoy. You don't have to use all the flavors each time, but I usually do.

[luniz]

I made a dish last week of stir fried chicken and celery with a chili oil based sauce that included toasted sansho. Velvet the chicken (breast), slice the celery evenly on a bias, mix a sauce of spices, chili oil, cornstarch, and toasted sansho.

[pitu]

ma po tofu
and
I like to toast/grind them and add to BBQ spice rub for pork ribs

And check out the books of http://www.fuchsiadunlop.com

[DGresh]

Once I got myself a stash of szechuan peppercorns I decided to "upgrade" my time-worn recipe for kung pao chicken with something that uses them-- I found this recipe which I like a lot, from Fuchsia Dunlop via Leite's Culinaria

http://leitesculinaria.com/?s=kung+pao