I found Lee Kum Kee Ma Po Sauce at the local 99 Ranch market and
decided to try it out. Very good with tofu, shredded cabbage, some
dice green and red pepper, mushrooms, and cauliflower.

I noticed, though, that my tongue became slightly "tingly" while
eating this dish and my iced tea tasted different, almost fizzy.

Since I've read about Schezuan peppercorns having this effect, I
wondered if the LKK Ma Po sauce contains those peppercorns. The
ingredients lists only "Peppercorns". I assume they are the Schezuan
variety. Anyone know for sure?

Hello, Jed!
You wrote on Thu, 31 Aug 2006 12:08:51 -0700:

J> I noticed, though, that my tongue became slightly "tingly"
J> while eating this dish and my iced tea tasted different,
J> almost fizzy.

I don't know the sauce but the sensation sounds right for
Szechuan pepper. Is that also called "flower pepper"?

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

Jed wrote:

> I found Lee Kum Kee Ma Po Sauce at the local 99 Ranch market and
> decided to try it out. Very good with tofu, shredded cabbage, some
> dice green and red pepper, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
>
> I noticed, though, that my tongue became slightly "tingly" while
> eating this dish and my iced tea tasted different, almost fizzy.
>
> Since I've read about Sechuan peppercorns having this effect, I
> wondered if the LKK Ma Po sauce contains those peppercorns. The
> ingredients lists only "Peppercorns". I assume they are the Schezuan
> variety. Anyone know for sure?
>

'Peppercorns' does not seem like Sechuan pepper, which is not really a
pepper at all. Its often called 'prickly ash' in the US, in fact. The
tingling may be coming from the chili in the ingredients. Or maybe LKK
has its own naming conventions!

Ian

Jed wrote:
> I found Lee Kum Kee Ma Po Sauce at the local 99 Ranch market and
> decided to try it out. Very good with tofu, shredded cabbage, some
> dice green and red pepper, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
>
> I noticed, though, that my tongue became slightly "tingly" while
> eating this dish and my iced tea tasted different, almost fizzy.
>
> Since I've read about Schezuan peppercorns having this effect, I
> wondered if the LKK Ma Po sauce contains those peppercorns. The
> ingredients lists only "Peppercorns". I assume they are the Schezuan
> variety. Anyone know for sure?

They have a section titled "Ask our experts" on their webpage. I'd
fire off an email to them:
http://home.lkk.com/index.asp

-L.

Jed wrote:
> I found Lee Kum Kee Ma Po Sauce at the local 99 Ranch market and
> decided to try it out. Very good with tofu, shredded cabbage, some
> dice green and red pepper, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
>
> I noticed, though, that my tongue became slightly "tingly" while
> eating this dish and my iced tea tasted different, almost fizzy.
>
> Since I've read about Schezuan peppercorns having this effect, I
> wondered if the LKK Ma Po sauce contains those peppercorns. The
> ingredients lists only "Peppercorns". I assume they are the Schezuan
> variety. Anyone know for sure?
>

must be. only good Sichuan 'peppercorns' can give
you that licking a 9V battery feeling [as quality
varies]. it's not the peppercorns we all know.
google for a photo or i could make one for you.

shortly before going to Sichuan i did give this LKK
sauce a go so i could compare it with the real
thing. then i ate only Sichuan food for 8 days
straight, including Ma Po tofu on 3 different
occasions, and found out LKK sauce hardly tasted
like the real thing [i find LKK too salty]. and you
know what else, in Sichuan they throw in a handful
of the pepercorns [there's already loads of it in
powder form in the sauce] in just about every dish.
i tried to eat as many peppercorns as i
could...it's a wonderfully perculiar feeling
....so nice i brought home a kilo by various brands!

now that you're familiar with Sichuan peppercorns,
look out for those nice big 'facing heaven' chilis
also used in many Sichuan dishes.

here's my cheat Ma Po using LKK
[http://bonvivantnl.fotopic.net/p33527488.html].
it's not the same. there are also 3 photos of Ma Po
i ate in Chengdu in the China Food album. all good!

Saudades (FG) wrote:

> must be. only good Sichuan 'peppercorns' can give you that licking a 9V
> battery feeling [as quality varies]. it's not the peppercorns we all
> know. google for a photo or i could make one for you.
>
> shortly before going to Sichuan i did give this LKK sauce a go so i could
> compare it with the real thing. then i ate only Sichuan food for 8 days
> straight, including Ma Po tofu on 3 different occasions, and found out LKK
> sauce hardly tasted like the real thing [i find LKK too salty]. and you
> know what else, in Sichuan they throw in a handful of the pepercorns
> [there's already loads of it in powder form in the sauce] in just about
> every dish. i tried to eat as many peppercorns as i could...it's a
> wonderfully perculiar feeling ...so nice i brought home a kilo by
> various brands!

I make an infused oil rather than putting in the peppercorns. One
off-putting thing about putting them in is the stone-like seed, which gives
a horribly gritty texture to anything in which they're put. How do you get
around that?

Bob

"Saudades (FG)" > wrote:
> [ . . . ]
> now that you're familiar with Sichuan peppercorns,
> look out for those nice big 'facing heaven' chilis
> also used in many Sichuan dishes.

Of which, I can provide you some and seed stock, if you'd like.

You know how to contact me offline.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Saudades (FG) wrote:

> Jed wrote:

[snip]

> now that you're familiar with Sichuan peppercorns, look out for those
> nice big 'facing heaven' chilis also used in many Sichuan dishes.

What are "big 'facing heaven' chilis"?

Thanks,

Ian

ian wrote:
> Jed wrote:
>
> > I found Lee Kum Kee Ma Po Sauce at the local 99 Ranch market and
> > decided to try it out. Very good with tofu, shredded cabbage, some
> > dice green and red pepper, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
> >
> > I noticed, though, that my tongue became slightly "tingly" while
> > eating this dish and my iced tea tasted different, almost fizzy.
> >
> > Since I've read about Sechuan peppercorns having this effect, I
> > wondered if the LKK Ma Po sauce contains those peppercorns. The
> > ingredients lists only "Peppercorns". I assume they are the Schezuan
> > variety. Anyone know for sure?
> >
>
> 'Peppercorns' does not seem like Sechuan pepper, which is not really a
> pepper at all. Its often called 'prickly ash' in the US, in fact.

Prickly ash? You mean there is a market for prickly ash??

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

In article >,
"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote:

> Saudades (FG) wrote:
>
> > must be. only good Sichuan 'peppercorns' can give you that licking a 9V
> > battery feeling [as quality varies]. it's not the peppercorns we all
> > know. google for a photo or i could make one for you.
> >
> > shortly before going to Sichuan i did give this LKK sauce a go so i could
> > compare it with the real thing. then i ate only Sichuan food for 8 days
> > straight, including Ma Po tofu on 3 different occasions, and found out LKK
> > sauce hardly tasted like the real thing [i find LKK too salty]. and you
> > know what else, in Sichuan they throw in a handful of the pepercorns
> > [there's already loads of it in powder form in the sauce] in just about
> > every dish. i tried to eat as many peppercorns as i could...it's a
> > wonderfully perculiar feeling ...so nice i brought home a kilo by
> > various brands!
>
> I make an infused oil rather than putting in the peppercorns. One
> off-putting thing about putting them in is the stone-like seed, which gives
> a horribly gritty texture to anything in which they're put. How do you get
> around that?

Crack the pods open and remove the black kernels. The amount you use in
a typical dish isn't large enough for that to be much of a problem.

After I de-kernel them, I crush them in using a mortar and pestle, and
then spread them in a hot, dry iron skillet until they begin to smoke
*slightly*.

Isaac

ian > wrote:
> [ . . . ]
> What are "big 'facing heaven' chilis"?

In Thai, they're called Prik Chii Faa. Best when black.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Hello, isw!
You wrote on Fri, 01 Sep 2006 21:16:51 -0700:
??>> I make an infused oil rather than putting in the
??>> peppercorns. One off-putting thing about putting them in
??>> is the stone-like seed, which gives a horribly gritty
??>> texture to anything in which they're put. How do you
??>> get around that?

i> Crack the pods open and remove the black kernels. The amount
i> you use in a typical dish isn't large enough for that to be
i> much of a problem.

In my house, the standard method for preparation is an old
fashioned pepper grinder; that seems to remove grittiness.

As far as finding out about szechuan (I'm not really endorsing
one particular spelling since I've seen several different :-)
pepper, look at
http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Zant_pip.html
which also has pictures. Gernot Katzer's spice pages are, IMHO,
the very best place for getting details and pictures for *all*
spices.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

wrote:

> ian > wrote:
>
>>[ . . . ]
>>What are "big 'facing heaven' chilis"?
>
>
> In Thai, they're called Prik Chii Faa. Best when black.
>

Thanks, now I'm up to speed.

ian