Sorry to tease you but here's something you probably aren't going to find - at least not in this form.
What we have here are fresh Litsea seeds (Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. ), (山胡椒 - shān hú jiāo, literally mountain pepper; or 木姜子 - mù jiāng zǐ, literally tree ginger seeds). They are more usually seen dried, but even more often they are used to make 山胡椒油 - shān hú jiāo yóu or 木姜子油 - mù jiāng zǐ yóu, litsea oil.
The seeds grow on small trees in Guizhou and Hunan provinces, as well as in Taiwan. The oil is distinctly lemon scented - like lemongrass - with notes of ginger and a mild pepperiness. The harvest begins in May and lasts all summer.
The oil is often used as a condiment. Fuchsia Dunlop notes in The Food of Sichuan that although not Sichuanese, people in the SE of the province like to use it in dips and on the cold dishes that cuisine is famous for. The fresh seeds can be added to summer hoptpots, but they are rare, even here.
The oil is available in the west, but usually in those trendy 'wellness' places where the quacks recommend it is an essential oil.
QuoteLitsea Cubeba is delightful for lifting and soothing the spirits. It works wonders in skin care, as well as for the digestive, immune and nervous systems, and more.
Grrr!
