Szechuan, Schezuan or Sichuan Pepper

Also known variously as Chinese, Japanese or anise pepper, or fagara, this highly aromatic spice from Northern China is not related to pepper, but is the berry of a small shrub, Xanthoxylum pipesitum. It needs to be dry-roasted before grinding and is also used whole as an aromatic stock ingredient. It is one of the constituents of five-spice powder. See also Sansho.