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28. 山胡椒 shān hú jiāo – Litsea – Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

I have mentioned this elsewhere on eG before, but I do think it belongs here as well.

山胡椒 (shān hú jiāo), literally 'mountain peppers', are the seeds of a tree native to Guizhou and Hunan provinces of China. They also grow in Taiwan, where they have been introduced. Also known as 木姜子 (mù jiāng zǐ), literally 'tree ginger seeds').

Dried Litsea Seeds

They are more usually seen dried, but even more often they are used to make 山胡椒油 (shān hú jiāo yóu) aka 木姜子油 (mù jiāng zǐ yóu), litsea oil.

Litsea oil

The seeds and oil are distinctly lemon scented like lemongrass, with notes of ginger and a mild pepperiness. The harvest begins in May and lasts all summer.

Fresh Litsea Seeds

The oil is often used as a condiment. Fuchsia Dunlop notes in The Food of Sichuan (see previous post) that although litsea is not Sichuanese, people in the SE of the province like to use it in dips and on the cold dishes Sichuan cuisine is famous for. The fresh seeds can be added to summer hot pots, but fresh seeds are rare, even here.

28. 山胡椒 shān hú jiāo – Litsea – Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

I have mentioned this elsewhere on eG before, but I do think it belongs here as well.

山胡椒 (shān hú jiāo), literally 'mountain peppers', are the seeds of a tree native to Guizhou and Hunan provinces of China. They also grow in Taiwan, where they have been introduced. Also known as 木姜子 (mù jiāng zǐ), literally 'tree ginger seeds').

Dried Litsea Seeds

They are more usually seen dried, but even more often they are used to make 山胡椒油 (shān hú jiāo yóu) aka 木姜子油 (mù jiāng zǐ yóu), litsea oil.

Litsea oil

The seeds and are distinctly lemon scented like lemongrass, with notes of ginger and a mild pepperiness. The harvest begins in May and lasts all summer.

Fresh Litsea Seeds

The oil is often used as a condiment. Fuchsia Dunlop notes in The Food of Sichuan (see previous post)  that although litsea is not Sichuanese, people in the SE of the province like to use it in dips and on the cold dishes Sichuan cuisine is famous for. The fresh seeds can be added to summer hot pots, but fresh seeds are rare, even here.

29. 山胡椒 shān hú jiāo – Litsea – Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

I have mentioned this elsewhere on eG before, but I do think it belongs here as well.

山胡椒 (shān hú jiāo), literally 'mountain peppers', are the seeds of a tree native to Guizhou and Hunan provinces of China. They also grow in Taiwan, where they have been introduced. Also known as 木姜子 (mù jiāng zǐ), literally 'tree ginger seeds').

Dried Litsea Seeds

They are more usually seen dried, but even more often they are used to make 山胡椒油 (shān hú jiāo yóu) aka 木姜子油 (mù jiāng zǐ yóu), litsea oil.

Litsea oil

The seeds and are distinctly lemon scented like lemongrass, with notes of ginger and a mild pepperiness. The harvest begins in May and lasts all summer.

Fresh Litsea Seeds

The oil is often used as a condiment. Fuchsia Dunlop notes in The Food of Sichuan (see previous post)  that although litsea is not Sichuanese, people in the SE of the province like to use it in dips and on the cold dishes Sichuan cuisine is famous for. The fresh seeds can be added to summer hot pots, but fresh seeds are rare, even here.

29. 山胡椒 shān hú jiāo – Litsea – Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

I have mentioned this elsewhere on eG before, but I do think it belongs here as well.

山胡椒 (shān hú jiāo), literally 'mountain peppers', are the seeds of a tree native to Guizhou and Hunan provinces of China. They also grow in Taiwan, where they have been introduced. Also known as 木姜子 (mù jiāng zǐ), literally 'tree ginger seeds').

Dried Litsea Seeds

They are more usually seen dried, but even more often they are used to make 山胡椒油 (shān hú jiāo yóu) aka 木姜子油 (mù jiāng zǐ yóu), litsea oil.

Litsea oil

The seeds and are distinctly lemon scented like lemongrass, with notes of ginger and a mild pepperiness. The harvest begins in May and lasts all summer.

Fresh Litsea Seeds

The oil is often used as a condiment. Fuchsia Dunlop notes in The Food of Sichuan (see previous post)  that although litsea is not Sichuanese, people in the SE of the province like to use it in dips and on the cold dishes Sichuan cuisine is famous for. The fresh seeds can be added to summer hot pots, but fresh seeds are rare, even here.

29. 山胡椒 shān hú jiāo – Litsea – Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

I have mentioned this elsewhere on eG before, but I do think it belongs here as well.

山胡椒 (shān hú jiāo), literally 'mountain peppers', are the seeds of a tree native to Guizhou and Hunan provinces of China. They also grow in Taiwan, where they have been introduced. Also known as 木姜子 (mù jiāng zǐ), literally 'tree ginger seeds').

Dried Litsea Seeds

They are more usually seen dried, but even more often they are used to make 山胡椒油 (shān hú jiāo yóu) aka 木姜子油 (mù jiāng zǐ yóu), litsea oil.

The seeds and are distinctly lemon scented like lemongrass, with notes of ginger and a mild pepperiness. The harvest begins in May and lasts all summer.

Fresh Litsea Seeds

The oil is often used as a condiment. Fuchsia Dunlop notes in The Food of Sichuan (see previous post)  that although litsea is not Sichuanese, people in the SE of the province like to use it in dips and on the cold dishes Sichuan cuisine is famous for. The fresh seeds can be added to summer hot pots, but fresh seeds are rare, even here.