Yaomazi Green Sichuan Pepper Oil (Rattan Pepper Oil, Teng Jiao You)

This fragrant and numbing Sichuan pepper oil is made from teng jiao, which is a species of green Sichuan pepper that is translated in English as vine pepper or rattan pepper. Teng jiao has the highest oil content of the Sichuan peppers and is used only in fresh form. Unlike Sichuan chili oil, which is made from dried chilies and is best when homemade, Sichuan pepper oil is best when made with just-picked pepper.

Yaomazi, China's first, largest and most trusted maker of Sichuan pepper oil, grows its own rattan pepper, harvests it at peak ripeness, puts it in cold storage just long enough to test  and clean it, then extracts the oil only a few hours after it was still on the vine to ensure peak freshness and a robust, non-musty fragrance and taste. The pepper oil is then mixed with first-grade, cold-pressed, low-erucic-acid rapeseed oil (a non-GMO canola), which grows in abundance in Sichuan and is prized for its superior taste to canola. 

Like extra-virgin olive oil, Sichuan pepper oil is a finishing oil, not a stir-fry cooking oil. It is used in Sichuan cold dishes and salads, added at the finish to "water-boiled" hot dishes and sauces, and preferred anytime one wants a smooth hit of intense flavor without the powder and husk (or when you just want to save time grinding!).

Unlike olive oil, Sichuan pepper oil is not meant to be tasted or used on its own. It is too potent, and a little bitter, on its own, and only shines when combined with other flavors, such as chilies (mala) or savory and fatty flavors. A little goes a long way. 

Yaomazi Teng Jiao Oil is a China Green Food, which means its ingredients are certified chemical- and pollution-free.

Store in a cool, dry place or refrigerate to prolong life. 

Here's a short video from Yaomazi showing how teng jiao oil is traditionally made and the pristine mountainous landscape where its rattan pepper grows.