Sansho and Kinome: The Mountain Pepper Dimension of Japanese Seasonings

Japan (national; mountain regions; particularly prized in Kyoto, Wakayama)

Sansho (Zanthoxylum piperitum, Japanese pepper) and its young spring leaves kinome represent one of the most distinctive and pharmacologically interesting dimensions of Japanese cuisine: a citrusy, floral, mouth-numbing spice that is neither heat-producing nor conventional pepper, but rather a lipid-based aromatic compound (hydroxy-alpha-sanshool) that produces parasthesia — a buzzing, numbing, tingling sensation on the tongue and lips that enhances sensitivity to other flavours. Sansho is the Japanese member of the Zanthoxylum genus, closely related to Sichuan peppercorn (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) and producing a similar but distinctly more citrus-forward numbing character. The berries are harvested green in early summer and used fresh (fresh green sansho berries in tsukudani or simmered preparations), or dried and ground to produce the fine powder (kona-sansho) that is the standard shichimi togarashi component and the traditional condiment for unaju eel rice. Kinome — the tender spring shoots and leaves of the sansho plant — are among the most treasured spring aromatics in Japanese cooking: their fresh, bright, green-citrus character is used as a garnish for grilled bamboo shoots, simmered vegetables, and sashimi. The art of bruising kinome (pressing a small bundle between hands with a single sharp clap) releases the volatile oils and transforms the leaf from merely decorative to actively aromatic.

Citrusy, floral, numbing-tingly; produces parasthesia (tongue and lip buzz) from hydroxy-alpha-sanshool; not heat-producing; bright and green when fresh (kinome); more concentrated and citrus-earthy when dried (kona-sansho); transforms the sensory experience of fatty ingredients