Szechuan peppercorns were not an ingredient I grew up eating- I didn’t really have much experience with them until Rachel started making mapo tofu regularly. They bring a unique, mouth-numbing character to dishes that they’re used in, almost more of a mouthfeel than a flavor. They don’t pack much of a punch in terms of heat, but paired with some hot chilis, they elevate the spice flavor with just a little tingle and some floral notes. I’ve always enjoyed spicy foods, but this type of heat is more subtle, and hits a little differently.
Over the past few years we’ve been using more and more szechuan pepper in our food, and szechuan turkey is one of the dishes we keep revisiting. The cheap takeout version of this dish is generally dumbed down and unusually sweet. This version has complex savory elements, plenty of heat from both the szechuan peppercorns and the whole ancho chilis, with just a touch of sweetness to round it out.
I’ve mentioned before that fried turkey is somewhat a tradition for us with our first bird during turkey season. This dish encapsulates all our favorite parts of fried turkey and couples it with some grown up spice.
If you’re averse to heat, don’t make this recipe.
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