A Guide to Using and Eating Sansho: Recipes by Dish for Powdered Sansho, Green Sansho, and Kinome

Do you ever wonder how to use sansho, thinking "How do I use sansho besides on eel?" or "What dishes do mi-zansho and kinome go with?" The dishes sansho suits change by form—powder, berry, and leaf—and once you know how to use it, you can make the most of its refreshing aroma from Japanese cuisine to meat and fish dishes and pasta.

On this page, we organize how to use and eat sansho by part. We have compiled dishes for powdered sansho, mi-zansho, and kinome respectively; arrangements such as sansho oil and sansho miso; and dishes that go with sansho such as meat, fish, rice, and pasta, along with tips for simple recipes. For the types of sansho, seeWhat is sansho? An explanation of the types; for the preparation of mi-zansho, seePreparation and bitterness removal of mi-zansho.

An overview of how to use sansho

The dishes sansho suits change by the part used and its form. Grasping the overall picture in a table first keeps you from getting lost in how to use it.

What they share is that sansho's refreshing aroma and tingle bring greasy dishes together refreshingly. Since a small amount changes the impression of a dish, add it sparingly at first and adjust.

How to use powdered sansho

The easiest to use is powdered sansho. Just a sprinkle at the finish adds a refreshing aroma and tingle.

Sprinkle on eel, grilled dishes, and soups

Sprinkling it on grilled eel is the standard, but it also goes well with chicken and fish teriyaki, miso-yaki, miso soup, and clear soup. Sprinkled on fatty dishes, its aroma cuts through the fat so you can eat them refreshingly. It is also recommended at the finish of yakitori and karaage.

For mapo tofu and rice dishes

Sprinkled on mapo tofu or dandan noodles, it gives an authentic, tingling flavor (if you want a strong Chinese-style tingle, huajiao is better suited). Adding a small amount to rice dishes such as onigiri, ochazuke, and egg-over-rice is also recommended. For using sansho versus huajiao, seeAn explanation of the difference between sansho and huajiao.

Tips when using it

Since powdered sansho's aroma flies off easily, the tip is to sprinkle it at the very end of heating or just before eating. Adding it early lets the aroma escape. Add a little at a time and adjust to your preferred aroma and tingle.

How to use mi-zansho

Mi-zansho is prepared before being used in cooking. Its popping texture and strong tingle become an accent in a dish. For the preparation method, seePreparation and bitterness removal of mi-zansho.

For chirimen sansho and tsukudani

The standards are chirimen sansho simmered together with chirimen-jako, and tsukudani simmered sweet-and-salty with kombu or shirasu. Both are simple in procedure and popular as a companion to rice. Made ahead, you can pile plenty on warm rice and enjoy it at the daily table. Its refreshing aroma goes well with rice. Besides prepared fresh mi-zansho, there is also a method of using shelf-stable wholeDried Japanese pepper (sansho).

For flavoring simmered fish and meat dishes

Adding mi-zansho to simmered fish such as sardines and mackerel softens the fishy smell and adds a refreshing aroma. It also suits flavoring meat dishes such as braised pork and simmered chicken. Frozen, it is convenient to use a small amount at a time as needed.

How to use kinome

Kinome is the young leaf of sansho and appears in spring. With its refreshing aroma and color, it adds a sense of the season to dishes.

For kinome-ae and as a garnish

Bamboo shoot kinome-ae is a spring standard. Adding kinome to shira-ae or vinegar-miso dressing brings out the aroma. Placed as a garnish on simmered dishes, grilled fish, or clear soup, it brightens both appearance and aroma.

Tips for bringing out the aroma

Placing kinome on your palm and lightly clapping it before use brings out the aroma. The tip is to clap it just before use. Since it spoils easily, wrap it in moistened paper, refrigerate it, and use it up quickly.

A product catalog that shows around 100 items we handle

Agriture, flexibly handling everything from small lots to large lots

• Available from small lots of 100 g
• We handle heirloom vegetables from across Japan
• Dried fruit and herbs also supported

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Sansho arrangements｜oil, miso, soy-sauce pickle

Made into seasonings, sansho's uses expand even further. Here are representative arrangements.

Sansho oil

Sansho oil, made by steeping mi-zansho or powdered sansho in oil, adds a refreshing aroma just by drizzling it over pasta, stir-fries, or salads. Using a small amount as a finishing accent is recommended. Adding a little to peperoncino makes a dish with a touch of Japanese aroma. It is also easy to drizzle over hiyayakko or grilled vegetables, easily varying your usual dishes.

Sansho miso and soy-sauce pickle

Sansho miso is a seasoning that combines miso with powdered or mi-zansho, going well with dengaku, grilled onigiri, and vegetable sticks. Mi-zansho pickled in soy sauce is a convenient stock side dish for flavoring rice, hiyayakko, and dressed dishes. Both can be made ahead, letting you incorporate sansho's aroma into daily cooking.

Dishes and ingredients that go with sansho

Sansho is a spice especially compatible with fatty, rich ingredients. We have compiled which form to use for which dish and when to add it in a quick-reference table.

Unexpectedly, sprinkling just a little powdered sansho on vanilla ice cream or chocolate makes the refreshing aroma and tingle an accent. Not limited to Japanese cuisine, sansho's appeal is that it can be enjoyed in all kinds of dishes.

Frequently asked questions

Summary: Use sansho differently by part and form

Sansho's character comes alive when you use it differently by part and form—powdered sansho as a finishing condiment, mi-zansho for chirimen sansho and tsukudani, and kinome for dressed dishes and garnishes. Made into sansho oil or sansho miso, its uses expand even further to pasta, grilled dishes, and rice. Sansho's appeal is that it brings fatty, rich dishes together refreshingly with its refreshing aroma.

Since powdered sansho's aroma flies off easily, use it at the finish; prepare mi-zansho before use; and clap kinome just before use—with a few tips you can make the most of the aroma. For the differences in sansho types and varieties, please also seeWhat is sansho? An explanation of the types. Incorporate domestically grown sansho and add a refreshing aroma and tingle to your daily cooking.