So what's the deal with Sanshō versus Szechuan pepper, you ask? Well, both of these peppers have a tingly heat to them, but there are some key distinctions. For starters, Sanshō orginates from Japan and Szechuan is from China. If you look at the colour, Sanshō pepper comes in green while Szechuan often has a deeper red hue when ground up. In terms of taste, Sanshō has a strong citrus flavour that reminds you of yuzu or grapefruit whilst Szechuan has more floral notes. And finally, when it comes to spice, Sanshō peppers tend to be milder than Szechuan ones and also have that tingly, numbing effect when you eat them.
