Yes they're the same thing, in parts of SE Asia, Sichuan peppers are
grounded down to powder form & sold. The names vary from country to country
& translation but anything like Chinese pepper powder to Sichuan powder are
the same thing. It's in powder form because it's convenient just like you'd
find ground blackpepper in supermarkets all over the western world. But you
should be aware that humidity in SE Asia is a lot higher & any spices ground
or powder form will soon loose it's potency, so depending on how long it's
in it's ground/powdered form, you might have to use it up fast. When buying
spices & herbs etc. always buy them whole if you intend to keep them for as
long as possible & make sure they're airtight during storage. hope this
helps.

DC.


"Ian" wrote in message
news:EdN2d.296644$sh.238122@fed1read06...
Hi -

I just came back from Thailand, and while there I looked for Sechuan
Pepper, which is difficult to find (for me, anyway) in the US, as its
commercial importation appears to be barred.

I found spice jars of something called 'Sechuan Powder' in Foodtown (Soi
5 off Sukhumvit), and while its a bit gritty, requiring further
grinding, it appears to be the right thing, as it leaves the tongue a
little numb (thats my only clue about how it should taste).

In Chiang Mai's Wororot Market, I found a woman selling mainly Indian
spices, but she also had something she called 'Chinese Pepper', and she
could not tell me if it was the same thing as Sechuan Pepper, as she had
never heard this term (not surprising really, as she was not an English
speaker). Anyway, I bought a generous bag of this, and it too appears to
be the real deal.

I declared on my US customs form that I had spices for cooking, and they
did not seem very interested.

So, if you are passing through Thailand (or know anyone doing so), grab
some!

Ian