This one is quick and flavorful. If Szechuan peppercorn is hard to locate, use the same quantity of white peppercorn (or half if it’s particularly strong).
YIELD: 2 tablespoons (16 g)
2 tsp (4 g) green or red Szechuan peppercorn
2 tsp (4 g) fennel seeds
2 whole star anise
1 tiny cinnamon stick (about 0.1 oz [3 g]), broken into smaller pieces
½–¾ tsp ground cloves, to taste
Toast the peppercorn, fennel seeds and star anise in a small saucepan on low heat just until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be sure to stir often to prevent burning. Transfer to a small food processor along with the cinnamon stick and cloves, and blend until finely ground. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. The fresher the better, so keep your batches small unless you use the mix quite frequently.