Ma la ( ; literally `` numb and hot '' ) , a flavor common in Sichuan cooking , is a combination of Sichuan pepper and chili pepper . Ma la ( ; literally `` numbing and spicy '' ) , common in Sichuan cooking , is a combination of Sichuan pepper and chili pepper , and it is a key ingredient in `` mÃ lÃ '' hot pot the Sichuan version of the Chinese traditional dish .